The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab on Monday strongly condemned the removal of the film Satluj from an OTT platform, alleging that the BJP and the Congress are working together to erase Congress’s black history in Punjab and prevent the younger generation from learning the truth about one of the darkest chapters in the state’s past.
Addressing a press conference, AAP Punjab Media Incharge Baltej Pannu said that in today’s digital age, films have become one of the most powerful mediums to educate people, especially the youth, about history. “The younger generation wants to know what happened in Punjab during 1978, 1984, the 1990s and other crucial periods.
If they are denied books and documentaries, films become an important way of preserving historical truth,” said Baltej Pannu. He said serious historical films require years of research and dedication, unlike propaganda films made merely to serve political interests.
He added that while many films based on historical events have been made in Bollywood, producers today hesitate to take up such subjects because of the political risks involved. Referring to Satluj, Baltej Pannu said the film had already suffered years of delays.
It was initially titled Ghallughara, later renamed ‘Punjab 95’ after objections from the censor authorities, and eventually released as Satluj. However, within just two days of its release on the OTT platform, it was removed, raising serious questions.
“This is not merely about one film. It is about whether the people in power want to erase Punjab’s history. If films based on historical facts are not allowed to reach the public, do BJP and Congress want to trap the younger generation in WhatsApp propaganda instead of allowing them to know the truth?” he asked.
He said the film is based on the life and sacrifice of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who exposed the illegal cremation of thousands of “unidentified bodies” during the militancy era. “Jaswant Singh Khalra headed the Human Rights Wing of the Shiromani Akali Dal and painstakingly documented records from cremation grounds in Tarn Taran, proving that many of the so-called unidentified bodies actually belonged to people whose disappearances had never been accounted for,” he added.
Baltej Pannu said these incidents occurred during the Congress regime and the period of President’s Rule, making it obvious why the Congress would be uncomfortable with such a film reaching the masses. Demanding answers, Baltej Pannu said, “Ravneet Singh Bittu must tell the people of Punjab who got this film removed.
Was it done at the insistence of the Congress because the film exposes its role, or did the BJP itself decide to suppress Punjab’s painful history?” Baltej Pannu also criticised the Shiromani Akali Dal, saying that while its president Sukhbir Singh Badal is now making emotional social media posts over the film, the family of Jaswant Singh Khalra itself has publicly spoken about the Akali Dal government’s attitude after Khalra’s disappearance.
He referred to a viral video of Paramjit Kaur Khalra, who revealed that while the family was searching for Jaswant Singh Khalra, Parkash Singh Badal was focused on campaigning to bring the Akali Dal to power. According to her, after the Akali Dal formed the government, the family approached Parkash Singh Badal for help, but he merely advised them to focus on educating their children instead of helping them find Jaswant Singh Khalra.
Baltej Pannu remarked that perhaps Parkash Singh Badal already knew Jaswant Singh Khalra would never return. The family eventually performed his last rites in 1997. “If the Akali Dal was genuinely committed to justice, why did it fail the Khalra family when they needed support the most?” asked Baltej Pannu.
He further pointed out that the Akali Dal’s 1996 election manifesto had promised to establish a Truth Commission to investigate officers involved in illegally picking up and killing innocent Punjabi youth during that period. However, after forming the government in 1997, instead of holding those officials accountable, the Akali Dal government rewarded many of them with promotions.
“Today they are shedding crocodile tears on social media. Their actions in government completely contradicted the promises they made before the elections,” he said. Baltej Pannu alleged that both the Congress and the BJP are uncomfortable with the film because it exposes the truth of that period and highlights grave human rights violations.
Recalling his own experience as a journalist, Baltej Pannu referred to the testimony of key witness Kirpal Singh Randhawa. He said false rape charges were filed against Kirpal Singh Randhawa in Patiala to stop him from testifying. Kirpal Singh Randhawa was later acquitted, and the Patiala court ordered criminal proceedings against seven individuals involved in fabricating the case, including the then SSP Paramraj Singh Umranangal, besides imposing a penalty of ₹49 lakh on them.
“Kirpal Singh Randhawa is no longer with us, but his testimony remains an important part of history. Such incidents show the extent to which powerful people went to suppress the truth,” he said. He said banning a film cannot erase historical facts or silence the sacrifices of those who fought for justice and human rights.
“The story of Jaswant Singh Khalra is the story of a brave human rights defender who stood for truth despite enormous risks. Removing a film cannot erase history. Truth cannot be buried by censorship,” asserted Baltej Pannu.
The Aam Aadmi Party strongly condemned the removal of Satluj from the OTT platform and demanded that the film be restored immediately so that people, especially the younger generation, can learn about Punjab’s history without political censorship.