Bittu 'unnecessarily raising the issue': Capt Amarinder Singh over Satluj fallout as Union Minister receives backlash
PTC News Desk: Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu's remarks over 'Satluj' movie has drawn severe criticism from within the party. Now former Punjab Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Capt Amarinder Singh has warned Bittu against using the past to polarise people in the present, asserting that there can be no escape from history.
Speaking with The Tribune, Singh said that Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu was “unnecessarily raising the issue”.
"But let me tell you that the BJP or the Congress will not gain from this. Only the Shiromani Akali Dal, Waris Punjab De and the Akali Dal (Punar Surjit) can probably foresee political gain. That is why these parties are encouraging public screenings,” he said. He pointed out that only after the movie was pulled down had it aroused massive public interest. “Had it remained on the platform, it would probably not have garnered such public interest,” he said.
The senior BJP leader was responding to Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu's social media posts about the film Satluj. Bittu had shared video clips featuring deceased and clean-shaven men and repeatedly said that the BJP had not banned the film and should not be blamed for its removal.
The former Punjab Chief Minister said that instead of focusing on one film, the entire period of militancy should be examined. He said that while around 25,000 people were reportedly killed, nearly 1,800 police personnel also lost their lives fighting militants, along with thousands of innocent civilians. He added that the names of everyone responsible for excesses on both sides should be made public.
When asked about public screenings of Satluj across Punjab, he said he did not know who was responsible for taking the film down.
Speaking about the film's subject, he said Jaswant Singh Khalra was collecting evidence related to people who had gone missing and was not doing anything wrong. He noted that six police personnel were later convicted in the case, saying those facts could not be denied.
The former Chief Minister said history should not be ignored, but it should also not be allowed to divide people today. He stressed the need to acknowledge the past so that such mistakes are not repeated, while cautioning against stirring up the younger generation over old events. He described the issue as "a very tricky business."
- With inputs from agencies
