Badal and Akalis Continue Pursuit on Ban of “Sadda Haq” in Punjab

VANCOUVER, BC, Canada—The Supreme Court of India has lifted the ban on the film “Sadda Haq” that was initially placed by the Badal Government in Punjab over 3 weeks ago.  The film depicts a truthful and graphic account of the conditions of Punjab during the 1980s and 90s and brings into focus the Indian governments hand in the statewide genocide of Sikhs that ensued.  However, Badal Government has voiced dissatisfaction with the Supreme Court’s decision arguing that the film would disrupt peace and harmony in Punjab and has filed an affadavit in the Supreme Court.

Sadda Haq portrays factual events in Punjab’s history and highlights the struggles faced by the Sikh community.  However, the struggles showcased in the film are not just historical events but the lived realities of political prisoners throughout prisons in Punjab.   Badal Government continues to paint a misconstrued image of a “peaceful and harmonious” Punjab when the truth is that individuals like Professor Devinderpal Singh Bhullar are subjected to violence on a daily basis [in and outside of the State].  The Supreme Court may have lifted the ban on the film over almost one month after its world wide release but the Supreme Court in collaboration with the Badal regime has and continues to violate the rights of Professor Bhullar and hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of other ethnic minorities across the Indian Union.

Canadian Sikh Coalition Director/Spokesperson, Moninder Singh said, “We urge not only all of Punjab, but all the people within the current Indian Union to see this film.  We hope that for our brothers and sisters in Kashmir, Manipur, Orissa, Tamil Nadu, and for all the down-trodden peoples of the South Asian sub-continent that this film will help give meaning to our collective sentiments in regards to our struggles.  Rights and freedoms are provided to all human beings at birth and if a government feels they can take them away then they were never rights in the first place, only temporary privileges.  This film is not only important to recognize historical facts but to showcase the current oppression that exists within the Indian Union. ”

The Canadian Sikh Coalition would like to recognize the ban and the continued efforts by the Badal government to maintain the ban as a testament to oppressive nature of governance.  This film is a sign of protest to everything that the current corrupt political system symbolizes and we encourage everyone to participate by going out and watching the film and continuing the conversation within their communities.