Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh Bittu on Friday dismissed opposition accusations that the film 'Satluj' was removed from an OTT platform on orders of the BJP-led central government. He asserted that OTT platforms operate independently and require no government permission to stream or remove content.
Bittu rejects government role in OTT removal
Speaking in Ludhiana, Bittu said, 'OTT platforms do not need any permission to stream or remove films. It is wrong to blame the government in this regard.' He emphasized that the decision to take down the film was entirely the platform's own.
Film accused of one-sided narrative
Bittu criticized the film for presenting a 'grossly one-sided story' of the Punjab tragedy. He pointed out that 35,000 innocent Punjabis, both Hindus and Sikhs, lost their lives to terrorism during the insurgency period. 'Does 'Satluj' say anything about those killings?' he asked.
The minister revealed he is compiling data of terrorism victims and has already gathered details of several people from Ludhiana district alone. 'So far, I have got details of over 25 Sikh families alone whose members were killed by terrorists,' Bittu said, adding that he plans to reach out to the families. He warned that the film was being misused to create a false narrative.
Diljit Dosanjh's foreknowledge questioned
Bittu also targeted the film's lead actor, Diljit Dosanjh, who had earlier stated he knew the film would be taken off the platform. 'How did he know the film would run for one day or two days or that people would record it? This means all these people were hand in glove and their sole aim was to make money from the film, while playing with people's sentiments,' Bittu claimed.
The minister's remarks come amid a political row over the film's depiction of Punjab's troubled past, with opposition parties alleging censorship by the government. However, Bittu maintained that the government had no role in the OTT platform's decision.
