Sikh body slams removal of Satluj, calls it attempt to suppress historical truth
Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee president Harjinder Singh Dhami condemned the removal of Satluj from ZEE5 in India. He called it an attempt to suppress historical truth and demanded that the restrictions be lifted immediately.
Harjinder Singh Dhami, president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), on Monday strongly condemned the removal of the film Satluj from ZEE5 in India shortly after its release. He called it an unjustified attempt to suppress historical truth. The SGPC president demanded that all restrictions on the film be lifted immediately and said no ban could erase the truth about the atrocities suffered by Sikhs.
The film, earlier titled Punjab '95, was taken down in India less than 48 hours after its long-delayed release on OTT. ZEE5 said the film would remain unavailable in India until further notice in light of "current developments", but did not give a reason for the move or say whether it was linked to the film's earlier certification issues.
Dhami said Satluj highlights the life and work of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, his fight for human rights, and the alleged excesses committed against Sikh youth during the post-1984 period. He said Khalra dedicated his life to exposing cases of alleged illegal killings and secret cremations, and gave hope to thousands of families whose loved ones had disappeared.
He said Khalra was later killed for pursuing justice. Dhami added that the film presents historical facts and human rights issues that should be openly viewed and debated rather than censored. Referring to court judgments in cases involving former police officials, he said those rulings reinforced that history could not be denied.
The SGPC chief said democratic societies must protect freedom of expression and allow works based on historical events to reach the public. He described the removal of the film as an attempt to silence voices seeking to bring the truth to light. He said people had the right to understand this chapter of history and that Khalra's sacrifice would continue to inspire the pursuit of justice and human rights.
More about the film
Satluj is directed by Honey Trehan and stars Diljit Dosanjh as Jaswant Singh Khalra. The film finally began streaming uncut on July 3 after remaining delayed for more than three years. Before its planned theatrical release, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had asked the makers to make more than 125 cuts. The team did not agree to those changes, and the film did not reach cinemas.
The film is based on Khalra's work exposing the alleged illegal cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies during Punjab's militancy era in the 1980s and 1990s. He documented evidence suggesting that thousands of people who disappeared during the insurgency were secretly cremated by the police without their families being informed.
In 1995, Khalra was abducted and later killed. Several police officials were subsequently convicted in connection with his abduction and murder.
What the makers have said
Trehan had said the censor board's demands escalated from an initial 21 cuts to 127 suggested changes. He told The New Indian Express, "Our work is our freedom of speech. Let it come out. If anybody has a problem, they can go to the court. We'll follow what the court says."
He also said, "CBFC tells us to change the name of Jaswant Singh Khalra, the real-life person on whom our film is based. What they are asking is the deletion of the name of a martyr from our history. Jaswant Singh Khalra has been abducted once again; this time by the CBFC." He further said, "The 127 cuts are not on the film but on the democracy of the country. You don't even have legitimate reasons for the cuts you suggest."
How ZEE5 responded
After the takedown, ZEE5 thanked viewers for their response and said, "The response to Satluj since its release has been truly overwhelming." The platform added that it stood firmly by the film and its creative vision, and said, "In light of the current developments, Satluj will be unavailable in India until further notice. We remain committed to exploring every appropriate avenue through due process to bring the film back to our audiences at the earliest opportunity."
What Diljit Dosanjh said
Diljit had also suggested after the release that he feared the film might be taken down. During an Instagram Live session, when asked if he thought that could happen, he said, "Today is Saturday. I feel it could be taken down by Monday. But no worries, you download it."
In a later post, he said he had often asked the team whether the film would ever come out and whether "we can't tell our own story", adding that Khalra's voice had been suppressed in 1995 and was being suppressed even today.
Harjinder Singh Dhami, president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), on Monday strongly condemned the removal of the film Satluj from ZEE5 in India shortly after its release. He called it an unjustified attempt to suppress historical truth. The SGPC president demanded that all restrictions on the film be lifted immediately and said no ban could erase the truth about the atrocities suffered by Sikhs.
The film, earlier titled Punjab '95, was taken down in India less than 48 hours after its long-delayed release on OTT. ZEE5 said the film would remain unavailable in India until further notice in light of "current developments", but did not give a reason for the move or say whether it was linked to the film's earlier certification issues.
Dhami said Satluj highlights the life and work of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, his fight for human rights, and the alleged excesses committed against Sikh youth during the post-1984 period. He said Khalra dedicated his life to exposing cases of alleged illegal killings and secret cremations, and gave hope to thousands of families whose loved ones had disappeared.
He said Khalra was later killed for pursuing justice. Dhami added that the film presents historical facts and human rights issues that should be openly viewed and debated rather than censored. Referring to court judgments in cases involving former police officials, he said those rulings reinforced that history could not be denied.
The SGPC chief said democratic societies must protect freedom of expression and allow works based on historical events to reach the public. He described the removal of the film as an attempt to silence voices seeking to bring the truth to light. He said people had the right to understand this chapter of history and that Khalra's sacrifice would continue to inspire the pursuit of justice and human rights.
More about the film
Satluj is directed by Honey Trehan and stars Diljit Dosanjh as Jaswant Singh Khalra. The film finally began streaming uncut on July 3 after remaining delayed for more than three years. Before its planned theatrical release, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) had asked the makers to make more than 125 cuts. The team did not agree to those changes, and the film did not reach cinemas.
The film is based on Khalra's work exposing the alleged illegal cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies during Punjab's militancy era in the 1980s and 1990s. He documented evidence suggesting that thousands of people who disappeared during the insurgency were secretly cremated by the police without their families being informed.
In 1995, Khalra was abducted and later killed. Several police officials were subsequently convicted in connection with his abduction and murder.
What the makers have said
Trehan had said the censor board's demands escalated from an initial 21 cuts to 127 suggested changes. He told The New Indian Express, "Our work is our freedom of speech. Let it come out. If anybody has a problem, they can go to the court. We'll follow what the court says."
He also said, "CBFC tells us to change the name of Jaswant Singh Khalra, the real-life person on whom our film is based. What they are asking is the deletion of the name of a martyr from our history. Jaswant Singh Khalra has been abducted once again; this time by the CBFC." He further said, "The 127 cuts are not on the film but on the democracy of the country. You don't even have legitimate reasons for the cuts you suggest."
How ZEE5 responded
After the takedown, ZEE5 thanked viewers for their response and said, "The response to Satluj since its release has been truly overwhelming." The platform added that it stood firmly by the film and its creative vision, and said, "In light of the current developments, Satluj will be unavailable in India until further notice. We remain committed to exploring every appropriate avenue through due process to bring the film back to our audiences at the earliest opportunity."
What Diljit Dosanjh said
Diljit had also suggested after the release that he feared the film might be taken down. During an Instagram Live session, when asked if he thought that could happen, he said, "Today is Saturday. I feel it could be taken down by Monday. But no worries, you download it."
In a later post, he said he had often asked the team whether the film would ever come out and whether "we can't tell our own story", adding that Khalra's voice had been suppressed in 1995 and was being suppressed even today.
