Government panel backs continued ban on 'Satluj', cites concerns over sovereignty
text_fields
A government-appointed committee has reportedly recommended that the ban on public access to the film Satluj through online streaming platforms should remain in place.
It concluded that the film raises concerns related to India's sovereignty and integrity, according to government sources.
Directed by Honey Trehan and starring Diljit Dosanjh, the film is based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who investigated the cremation of thousands of unidentified bodies in Punjab between 1984 and 1994 before being abducted and killed in 1995.
The film was removed from ZEE5 for Indian viewers two days after its release on July 3, after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting invoked security concerns.
The ministry subsequently constituted an Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) under the Information Technology Rules, 2021, to examine the film and recommend further action.
According to sources, the committee concluded that the blocking order issued under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act was justified. The provision allows the government to block online content on grounds including the sovereignty and integrity of India, national security, defence, public order and friendly relations with foreign states.
The committee, which includes representatives from the ministries of Information and Broadcasting, Home Affairs, Electronics and Information Technology, Defence, External Affairs, Women and Child Development, and Law and Justice, reportedly found that the film presents an imbalanced narrative by portraying militants sympathetically while focusing on excesses by security forces during Punjab's militancy period.
The decision has sparked political controversy in Punjab. The Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has demanded that the ban be lifted, while the Shiromani Akali Dal has announced plans to organise public screenings of the film across the state.
Unlike theatrical releases, films released directly on OTT platforms do not require certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). Instead, online content falls under the regulatory framework of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which empower the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to invoke Section 69A when necessary.