Punjab 95 might see light of the day

In a significant move, the Akal Takht has instructed the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) to establish a panel of Sikh scholars to evaluate the biopic "Punjab 95," which centers on the life of the late human rights advocate Jaswant Singh Khalra. This decision follows rising concerns regarding the Central Board of Film Certification's (CBFC) recommendation for 120 cuts to the film.

Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Raghbir Singh issued this directive after a memorandum was presented by Jaswant Singh Khalra’s widow, Bibi Paramjit Kaur Khalra, and SGPC member Gurcharan Singh Grewal. The Jathedar highlighted worries that the CBFC's proposed edits could obscure the truths that Khalra, a former leader of the Sikh Students Federation, sought to reveal.

The film, featuring Diljit Dosanjh in the lead role, addresses themes of governmental oppression and false police encounters during the tumultuous Punjab conflict from 1984 to 1995. Initially, the Khalra family had given their approval for the film, but they are now concerned that the cuts mandated by the CBFC might distort its intended message. Reports indicate that the CBFC has requested the removal of references to extrajudicial killings and alterations to the dates and locations of certain documented events.

Bibi Khalra and Gurcharan Grewal conveyed their apprehensions to the Akal Takht, arguing that there are attempts to manipulate facts established by the Supreme Court, Punjab and Haryana High Court, and reports from the Central Human Rights Commission. Grewal pointed out that "Punjab 95" has already faced a two-year delay, raising questions about the underlying motivations for the proposed edits.