Chandigarh: SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal on Monday slammed the removal of Diljit Dosanjh's long-delayed film "Satluj" from an OTT platform, saying Punjab deserves to confront its past with honesty, not suppression.
The film, originally titled "Punjab 95", was released in India on streaming service ZEE5 on Friday last. However, it became unavailable on the platform just two days later.
Badal said he was shocked and saddened by the "arbitrary removal of Satluj from #ZEE5 in India".
This is not mere censorship, it is an assault on our collective memory, truth, and freedom of expression, he said.
"I strongly condemn this move. Punjab deserves to confront its past with honesty, not suppression," Badal said in a post on X.
"A powerful film that courageously unveils Punjab's painful history and honours the supreme sacrifice of S. Jaswant Singh Ji Khalra cannot be silenced this way," Badal said.
The film, based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, was stuck in censorship for over three years.
The Honey Trehan-directed movie was released without any cuts, but on Sunday evening the platform shared a statement to inform viewers that it's no longer available in India.
