Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu responded to the dispute over the film Satluj, which was withdrawn from ZEE5 shortly after launch. He stated that producers removed it once they secured enough revenue. Bittu rejected suggestions of official involvement, noting that authorities would not have approved its initial release if they planned to block it. He also criticized actor Diljit Dosanjh, claiming the star focuses solely on financial gain. Bittu pointed to Dosanjh’s comments about the film’s brief availability and referenced his role in another project, Chamkila, arguing it showed disregard for women. He added that Dosanjh, based abroad, shows little concern for Punjab’s stability. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting explained the removal stemmed from missing certification requirements. ZEE5 confirmed the title would stay unavailable in India. The movie portrays human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who documented unlawful deaths and hidden cremations amid Punjab militancy in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Khalra vanished in 1995, with his remains discovered near the Sutlej River. Directed by Honey Trehan and backed by RSVP and MacGuffin Pictures, it features Arjun Rampal along with other performers. The Shiromani Akali Dal later announced plans to exhibit the film in Punjab villages.
