The removal of Diljit Dosanjh’s film “Satluj” from an OTT platform has sparked a strong backlash from political parties and Sikh bodies in Punjab on Monday (July 6), stating that the movie leaves no option but for India to confront one of the state’s “darkest chapters,” adding that, instead of burying it through censorship, history must be confronted with honesty.
Political backlash
Slamming the removal of the film from the ZEE5 platform, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal said, “This is not mere censorship, it is an assault on our collective memory, truth, and freedom of expression”.
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Originally titled “Punjab 95” and based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, the film was released in India on streaming service ZEE5 on Friday last. However, it became unavailable on the platform just two days later.
Khaira cites the verdict
Senior Congress leader Sukhpal Singh Khaira, AAP MP Malvinder Singh Kang and the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) condemned the removal of the film, saying that it deals with a painful chapter of Punjab’s history that should not be suppressed.
“I strongly condemn the removal of Satluj film enacted by Diljit Dosanjh about police brutality in abducting and eliminating Prof Jaswant Singh Khalra, Human Rights activist in 1995,” Khaira said.
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Referring to the Supreme Court verdict in the Khalra case, he said, “The removal of this fact-based film is in contradiction to the decision of Hon’ble Supreme Court of India that upheld the conviction of guilty police officers responsible for the abduction of Prof Khalra.”
He urged the government “to release the film so that present and future generations know what a #PoliceState is”.
AAP questions move
AAP leader Malvinder Singh Kang questioned the decision, saying, “When a nation begins to fear its own history, censorship becomes its most dangerous weapon.” He also asked why films such as The Kashmir Files and The Kerala Story faced no hurdles while Satluj was taken down, adding, “Who is afraid of Punjab’s truth?” Kang urged the Centre to restore the film, asserting, “History must be confronted with honesty, not buried through silence & censorship.”
SGPC, MP react
SGPC chief secretary Kulwant Singh Manan said people should know what happened in Punjab during that period. “The film should not have been removed from the platform. The government should ensure that people see this film,” he told PTI.
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Congress MP Dharamvira Gandhi described the removal as “unfortunate” and said the film sought to acquaint younger generations with Punjab’s turbulent past while raising questions on human rights and governance. ZEE5 said Satluj would remain unavailable in India “until further notice” while it explored “every appropriate avenue through due process” to bring the film back.
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