Jaswant Singh Khalra witness Rajiv Singh says ban on 'Satluj' will only increase viewership of film
PTC Web Desk: Rajiv Singh, the key eyewitness in the Jaswant Singh Khalra abduction and murder case, has reacted strongly to the removal of the film Satluj from OTT platforms in India, saying the ban will only encourage more people to watch it.
Satluj, a film based on the life and work of noted human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra and his efforts to expose alleged secret cremations of missing youths in Punjab during the 1990s, was reportedly taken down from OTT platforms just two days after its release in India.
Speaking on the controversy, Rajiv Singh said the restriction applies only within India and would ultimately prove ineffective.
"Almost every Punjabi family has relatives living abroad, where the film has not been banned. It will be downloaded there and shared with people in India. The ban will only generate greater curiosity and increase its viewership," he said.
Rajiv Singh recalled that he was present inside Khalra's residence in 1995 when the police allegedly took the human rights activist away.
"I was sitting in the drawing room of Jaswant Singh Khalra's house when the police came and took him away before my eyes," he said.
Khalra had gained national and international attention after documenting what he alleged were hundreds of secret cremations of unidentified and missing youths during the militancy period in Punjab. He had accused the police of carrying out extrajudicial killings and cremating bodies without informing their families.
Rajiv Singh said Khalra's contribution to the country deserved far greater recognition. "He should be presented before the world in the same way as Shaheed Bhagat Singh. People across India should know about his life, courage and sacrifice," he said.
He further urged the Prime Minister to ensure that Satluj is dubbed into all major Indian languages so that people across the country can learn about Khalra's struggle for justice and human rights.
Speaking about Khalra's family background, Rajiv Singh said his father was a freedom fighter who spent four years in prison during India's independence movement but never sought official recognition or honours. He also claimed that Khalra's grandfather played an important role in the Ghadar Movement, while earlier generations of the family fought against Ahmad Shah Abdali.
Rajiv Singh also called on India to embrace greater transparency, saying the country should learn from democracies such as the United States by bringing historical truths before the public.
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Reflecting on his own experience, Rajiv Singh said testifying in the Jaswant Singh Khalra case forced him to spend more than a decade living in secrecy for his safety.
"For over 10 years, I could meet my family only between 7 pm and 5 am. During the day, I stayed at undisclosed locations so that no one could trace me. Even when attending family functions, I never stayed for more than 10 minutes," he said.
Despite the hardships, Rajiv Singh said he has no regrets. "When you choose to stand by the truth, sacrifices become part of the journey," he said.
Also Read | Jaswant Singh Khalra abduction and killing: How SAD's telegram prompted Supreme Court's intervention into the case
- PTC NEWS
