Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj on Tuesday denounced the removal of the film Satluj from a streaming service. The movie portrays human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra and was pulled shortly after release. He called the move an effort to curb free expression and asked the central government to permit nationwide screenings so that Khalra’s findings reach audiences everywhere.
Originally titled Punjab ’95, the story is set in 1990s Punjab and follows Khalra’s probe into the cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies between 1984 and 1994. After more than three years of censorship delays, an uncut version appeared on ZEE5 as Satluj on July 3 but was withdrawn on July 5.
Gargajj stated that blocking details of atrocities against the Sikh minority contradicts emphasis on human rights and free speech, describing it as unconstitutional. He noted that Khalra documented extra-judicial killings and fake encounters of Sikh youths, presenting evidence to the public. The Jathedar said such accounts reveal serious violations and that truth eventually surfaces. He argued it is inconsistent to allow films on other communities while restricting one about Sikh persecution.
He urged the government to show leadership by enabling the film’s distribution and addressing cases of Sikh killings and encounters after June 1984. Gargajj said authorities must deliver justice and ease community grievances, adding that halting the film has wounded Sikh feelings.
Directed by Honey Trehan, the film focuses on Khalra, who vanished in 1995 after his investigations. In 2005, four Punjab Police officers were convicted of his abduction and murder, receiving seven-year terms that were later increased to life imprisonment by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
The dispute has renewed attention on Khalra’s efforts, the film’s postponements, and calls for unrestricted access.
