A day after Diljit Dosanjh-starrer “Satluj", a movie depicting the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, was removed from ZEE5, Punjabis, cutting across political lines, have condemned the move and questioned who was afraid of facing the state’s history.
While the government has justified the removal of the film from the OTT platform, saying there were “concerns that it could be exploited to draw support for pro-Khalistan movement, ahead of Punjab elections,” the state’s polity and other prominent persons think otherwise.
The movie, originally titled “Punjab 95", was released on ZEE5 on Friday and was withdrawn on Sunday night.
In Punjab, the film got a lot of traction for its portrayal of the events in the 1980s and 1990s, when the state faced terrorism.
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal condemned the move to remove the film from OTT, saying it was not censorship “…but an assault on our collective memory, truth and freedom of expression”.
Aam Aadmi Party’s Anandpur Sahib MP Malwinder Kang, who was amongst the first to react on the issue, said it was shocking.
“When a nation begins to fear its own history, censorship becomes its most dangerous weapon. I unequivocally condemn the unexplained removal of *Satluj* from Zee5 India. A film that compels India to confront one of Punjab’s darkest chapters and portrays the alleged human rights violations of the 1980s–90s, brought to light through the courageous struggle of Jaswant Singh Khalra, has suddenly been made unavailable without any transparent explanation… When a film raises uncomfortable questions about the human rights violations and atrocities in Punjab, it disappears from an OTT platform. Why? Who is afraid of Punjab’s truth?” he asked. Eminent criminal lawyer and former Advocate General of Punjab, R S Cheema, told “The Tribune" that the Khalra case had gone up to the Supreme Court, and it was recorded by the highest court in the country that he was a human rights activist and he was assassinated by some police officers.
“What is wrong with depicting this in a biopic?” he asked. However, Hindu leaders in the state say that while they believe in the free flow of creative expression on historical events, the dark events of Punjab’s history are meant to learn lessons from and not to be used as propaganda to arouse sentiments, especially in a politically-charged atmosphere as is now, with elections round the corner. Veteran BJP leader Manoranjan Kalia told “The Tribune" that the film showcases the darkest side of Punjab history, which everyone wants to bury.
“We only want to remind ourselves of this past so that it’s never repeated. Peace has been hard-earned in Punjab. Such films rip open old wounds and it’s best avoided showcasing these films,” he said.
Espousing similar views, Bharat Bhushan Ashu, former minister and senior Hindu leader from Congress, told “The Tribune" that such films, being released in a politically-charged atmosphere, have the tendency to disturb peace and communal harmony. “It’s for everyone’s good that the movie has been withdrawn,” he added.
