There is a widely held belief across Punjab as also among the Punjabi diaspora spread across the globe that the Government of India used brutal force to crush militancy in the state. That indeed is a fact that militancy in Punjab was crushed with a brutal force. In the process, there were several incidents of extra-judicial killings and disappearances. Jaswant Singh Khalra was one of the victims of such extra-judicial methods. He had run a sustained campaign against the disappearance of Sikh youth during militancy. Eventually, he was abducted from outside his house and was never seen again. Some police officials were convicted and sentenced for his disappearance.
A movie, starring popular Punjabi actor Diljit Dosanjh was made on his life, titled “Punjab 95”, a few years back. Given the background and circumstances that the film portrayed, it was not cleared by the Film Censor Board of India. The Board had recommended several cuts. The makers apparently thought that film would lose its theme and punch if those cuts were affected. The movie was held back. Recently, it was released on an OTT platform with a changed name “Satluj”. The name nowhere matches the theme or the story of the movie. According to the makers they could not get any other name, hence they named it as “Satluj”.
It is important to refer to the Khalra’s life and background. While he was a human rights activist collecting details of anonymous cremations across Punjab crematoria, he himself glorified violence like the killing of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. He reportedly described Beant Singh and Kehar Singh, two assassins of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi whom she had trusted against intelligence and security advice, as greater martyrs than Bhagat Singh and Kartar Singh Sarabha. This is just one of the examples of his political beliefs.
He claimed that there were 25,000 unclaimed bodies, which were cremated in Punjab during the militancy era. This was a completely concocted figure apparently aimed to create an impact. He meant to suggest that the police would kill innocent youth in fake encounters and then cremate their bodies. That was a fact borne by convictions of several policemen, including senior officers for such extra-judicial killings. Apparently to avoid being caught for cremating unclaimed bodies, the police later resorted to throwing away the bodies into canals, which were later found downstream in Rajasthan.
This is the brutal and barbaric aspect of fight against militancy. During this period, some rogue policemen did actually settle personal scores with people and killed them in the name of militancy or merely on the basis of suspicion to get promotions and rewards. But those were aberrations and exceptions, not a rule.
Then there is the other side of the story, which is more brutal, barbaric and macabre. People were pulled out of buses, trains and houses and killed in cold blood just for their religion. Tens of thousands of Hindus were killed this way, just for being Hindus, even when they had nothing to do with the movement that the militants were pursuing.
Thousands of innocent Sikhs were also killed by terrorists, probably as many as the Hindus if not more. However, most of the Sikhs who were killed by terrorists were killed for their political beliefs, affiliations or their opposition to the violent cause.
Also read: ‘Satluj’ released without required certification: I&B Ministry
Militant preacher Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale is on record having threatened the government that he will get 5,000 Hindus killed if one of the buses belonging to his supporters impounded by the police was not immediately released. Bhindranwale did not demand Khalistan, but he encouraged violence and protected those who killed innocent people. Khalra was one of his staunch followers, who glorified his actions.
What happened with Khalra is unacceptable and indefensible. In fact, he himself ended up being one of the same victims he was trying to get justice for. Even if he were on the wrong side of the law, which apparently he was not, he should have been dealt with according to the law and not made to disappear.
Although it took quite a long time, those responsible for his disappearance have eventually been convicted and brought to justice. But again that will not bring him back. A precious life was snuffed out just because he tried to confront those who were abusing and brutalising the law killing innocent people wantonly.
It is obviously not possible for a movie like “Satluj” based on such a subject to be objective. A film is a piece of art. It will always be subjective. One cannot expect a work of art to be objective, particularly when the subject is divisive.
It is quite understandable that a film on the disappearance of Khalra cannot be expected to be objective. But still it could have provided some background, of which Khalra’s disappearance was a consequence. Like Khalra, there were tens of thousands of people who were brutally killed by the terrorists. We are yet to see a movie on those who were pulled out of buses and trains and killed with barbaric brutality.
Even while dealing with a sensitive and a polarising subject, the filmmakers could have avoided glorifying and justifying the killing of chief minister Beant Singh, which the film suggests was the consequence of human rights violations that took place during his regime. If so, the film could have also presented the background of killings of innocent people. That aspect has been completely ignored. And it seems to be a deliberate miss. In fact, Beant Singh was assassinated before Khalra’s disappearance.
Movies are a powerful medium. “Satluj” will survive for eternity. It is hilarious to suggest that the movie has been banned in India. In fact, there is no official ban order issued anywhere. It was simply withdrawn by the OTT platform after two days. By that time, it had already grabbed the attention, because of the subject and also because of Diljit Dosanjh, who plays the role of the protagonist, Khalra.
“Satluj” is a brilliantly made movie in all aspects—technical, pictorial, script, screenplay and the performance of its actors. It indeed will serve as one of the references about what happened in Punjab. Unfortunately, it presents a partial truth, which will be believed as a gospel truth.
Films like “Satluj” have the potential of reinforcing the persecution complex on the perceived notions of victimisation. Sections of the diaspora in the western countries, which are already spreading venom against India, for sure will weaponise “Satluj” to promote and justify their cause, which projects people like Indira Gandhi, Beant Singh or KPS Gill as villains and glorifies others like Bhindranwale as heroes. “Satluj” precisely does that.
Still it must not be banned, as bans serve no purpose. Rather bans serve the reverse purpose. “Satluj” has become the hottest topic only after the ban. Had it not been banned/ withdrawn, it may have passed off like any other movie. Such narratives demand to be countered with facts and proper background. Yes, Khalra was a victim like thousands of those he was seeking justice for, but “Satluj” tells only half the truth, which is as bad as telling a lie.
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