Sri Amritsar-Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj, has strongly condemned the decision to block the screening of the film Satluj, based on the life of Shaheed Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra, in India, describing it as an attempt to suppress freedom of expression.
He said that at a time when the world upholds freedom of expression and places significant emphasis on the protection of human rights, preventing the truth about the atrocities committed against the Sikh minority in India from reaching the citizen’s in country and global community is an unconstitutional and unjust act.
Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said that during the 1990s, when Sikh youths were subjected to extra-judicial killings and fake police encounters, human rights activist Shaheed Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra painstakingly collected records of those who had been killed and brought the facts before the world. He said Bhai Khalra's story exposes one of the gravest violations of human rights and demonstrates that the truth can never be permanently suppressed—it ultimately comes to light.
He further emphasized that when films depicting atrocities against various communities, particularly the majority community, can be freely screened in the country, it is entirely inappropriate to suppress a film highlighting the persecution of the Sikh minority.
Jathedar Giani Kuldip Singh Gargajj said the government should display statesmanship by allowing the truth uncovered by Shaheed Bhai Jaswant Singh Khalra to reach the people of the country and permit the screening of Satluj film. He added that the more one attempts to run from the truth, the more powerfully it emerges before the world. People, he said, should know that those who commit crimes cannot escape accountability forever.
The Jathedar further stated that the truth behind the fake police encounters of Sikh youths has been emerging from time to time through the CBI Court in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali). He noted that the CBI court has convicted and sentenced several Punjab Police officials in cases relating to fake encounters. Therefore, he said, the government needs to change its approach towards Sikhs and Punjab.
Jathedar Gargajj also asked the government to adopt a sincere and serious approach in dealing with cases related to the killings of Sikhs and the fake police encounters of Sikh youths during the decade following June 1984. He said the government should deliver justice to the Sikh community and help heal its long-standing wounds. He added that preventing the film, which portrays the atrocities committed against Sikhs before the world, has deeply hurt Sikh sentiments.