Akali Dal questions objections over Diljit Dosanjh’s ‘Punjab 95’, cites Censor approval of Kashmir Files
Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal has raised questions on the Censor Board through a post on his Facebook page.
‘Punjab 95’ is a biopic on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who was instrumental in finding evidence of the kidnapping, murder and cremation of thousands of unidentified people by the police.
New Delhi: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has openly come out in support of actor Diljit Dosanjh’s film ‘Punjab 95’.
Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal has raised questions over the functioning of the Censor Board through a post on his Facebook page.
“When the censor board can pass the “Kashmir Files” based on the genocide of Kashmiri Pandits, then why are they objecting to ‘Punjab 95’, questioned Sukhbir Singh Badal.
Sukhbir Singh Badal said that Shiromani Akali Dal appeals to the censor board to release the film on made on Jaswant Singh Khalra without any cuts.
‘Punjab 95’ is a biopic on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who was instrumental in finding evidence of the kidnapping, murder and cremation of thousands of unidentified people by the police.
Khalra’s investigation into 25,000 illegal cremations in Punjab during the insurgency through mid-1980s and mid-1990s, had led to protests around the world.
“The SAD condemns the ‘legal murder’ of biopic on late Sardar Jaswant Singh Khalra through massive cuts imposed by Censor Board of India. These restrictions have reportedly killed its spirit as well as the theme,” said Sukhbir Badal in his post.
He further added, “The film ‘Punjab 95’ (earlier titled Ghallughara) highlights State repression against a human rights activist and is based on court documents. The Sikh community is perturbed that the censor board is seeking to whitewash the atrocities committed by the State against an activist who was collecting data of extra-judicial killings. It is also condemnable that different yardsticks are used when dealing with films associated with the Sikh community and their anguish. The same Censor Board did not feel it fit to censor the Kashmir Files which speaks about the agony of Kashmiri Pandits.”
Later, the CBI investigation concluded that the Punjab Police had illegally cremated 2,097 people in Tarn Taran district itself. After this, Jaswant Singh Khalra suddenly disappeared. Initially, his death was treated as a suicide by the Punjab Police.
However, six Punjab Police officers were later convicted and sentenced to seven years imprisonment for Khalra’s abduction and murder.
Initially, the film was named Ghallughara. The censor board took more than six months to clear the film with 21 cuts and give it ‘A’ certificate. Following the cuts, the producers moved the Bombay High Court against the CBFC decision.