The Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has initiated a widespread public screening program for the film 'Satluj' across schools and colleges in Delhi. This move comes in direct response to the film's recent removal from the streaming platform Zee5, which the DSGMC has condemned as an attempt to suppress the narrative of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra.
Defying the Zee5 Takedown
On Tuesday, the DSGMC issued a strong statement criticizing Zee5's decision to pull 'Satluj' from its platform. DSGMC president Harmeet Singh Kalka stated that the removal was an effort to silence the impactful story of Jaswant Singh Khalra, whose investigations in the 1990s exposed alleged mass cremations by state authorities in Punjab. The committee immediately announced plans for public screenings and educational seminars to ensure the film reaches a broad audience.
“Since this film is a biographical portrayal of Jaswant Singh Khalra, it depicts how a social activist opened people’s eyes to the truth,” DSGMC president Harmeet Singh Kalka said. “He uncovered evidence of 25,000 bodies that had been cremated as ‘unclaimed’ and raised the issue not only within the country but also internationally. Suppressing this story, preventing the events of that dark era from reaching the public, is deeply wrong and has sparked immense outrage across the Sikh community.”
The DSGMC has instructed all Gurdwara committees in Delhi to facilitate local screenings of the film. Additionally, schools and colleges are being urged to host seminars focusing on Khalra's life and his significant contributions to human rights advocacy. This initiative aims to highlight the power of individual activism and collective action.
Background of the 'Satluj' Controversy
Directed by Honey Trehan and starring Diljit Dosanjh as Jaswant Singh Khalra, 'Satluj' (originally titled 'Panjab 95') chronicles Khalra's journey from a bank clerk to a prominent human rights campaigner. His work brought to light alleged illegal killings and secret cremations during the turbulent late 1980s and early 1990s in Punjab.
Khalra mysteriously disappeared in 1995. A decade later, four Punjab Police personnel were convicted for their involvement in his abduction, torture, and alleged murder, though his body was never recovered.
The film faced significant hurdles with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), which reportedly demanded numerous cuts. Despite these challenges, 'Satluj' was released uncut and retitled on Zee5 last Friday, only to be removed from the platform in India by Sunday. Zee5 cited unspecified “developments” for the takedown, while industry reports suggested the removal was linked to alleged violations of Information Technology Rules.