Bhai Rajoana says: story of Sadda Haq is untrue as it attempts to present Bhai Hawara as a “hero”

Patiala, Punjab (May 16, 2013): In a strange move, Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana has criticized the “Sadda Haq” Punjabi movie. Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana, who is in jail and is believed not to have actually watched the movie, has alleged that the movie is an attempt to make Jagtar Singh Hawara a hero. He said that the story of movie is untrue.

Previously, the movie was being opposed by state circles – especially police and bureaucracy, besides some Hindu groups like Shiv Sena. On the other hand neutral observers and Sikh circles have praised the movie as it has dealt with a sensitive subject matter with due objectivity. Sikhs, around the globe, have welcomed the movie. Sadda Haq has received tremendous response both from home and abroad viewers.

A video has appeared on internet where Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana was being carried to jail from a court complex where he was to attend a court hearing.

While apparently referring to incident of CM Beant Singh’s assassination Bhai Rajoana says: “Eh Film vich jehri kahani dikhayee gye hai eh Haware nu hero banaun di koshish ai, jadke Hawara oss din othe hai ee nahin c ga. Oh ek din pehlan Chandigarh chhadd ke Dilli chala gya c ga.Ehda os gall naal koe bahla sida sambhandh nain c ga. Ehde vich jehri kahani dikhayee gye aa eh bilkul jhooth hai” (The story shown in this film is an attempt to make Hawara – a hero, where as Hawara was not there on that day, at that time. He had left Chandigarh and had gone to Delhi, a day before [the incident]. He [Hawara] did not have much link to that [incident]. The story shown in it [movie] is untrue).

On being asked by a journalist (apparently) that whether the whole story of the movie is untrue, Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana replies that: “Jehri Haware naal sambandhat kahani dikhayee gye aa oh bilkul jhoot hai” (Story related to Hawara that is shown (in the movie) is totally untrue).

As the Sadda Haq movie had faced tough times – including two bans in India (that were later removed), the statement from Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana may be a source of further annoyance for the producers who have dared to make a movie on the painful times of Punjab. The movie depict many incidents of grave human rights abuses by state’s security forces that were a general phenomena during post-1984 to mid-1990s in Punjab.

In the movie’s lead character Kartar Singh Baaz appears to have been inspired from Bhai Jagtar Singh Hawara, where as another character of the movie Rajwant Singh Raja appears to have been inspired from Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana.

It is notable that Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana is first among the prominent Sikh circles who has criticized the movie. Independent observers consulted by Sikh Siyasat News (SSN) were of the view that the objections raised by Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana do not put the principle objectivity of the movie under question – and at the most Bhai Rajoana has disagreed on a particular character’s role.

It’s a known fact that there are some differences between Bhai Rajoana and Bhai Hawara; and there is solid ground to believe that Bhai Rajoana did not actually watch the movie (because he is confined in Central Jail, Patiala) and he might have received inputs from another person; so in this situation his statement should be viewed as a subjective statement made on the basis of another’s input who, too, might have some adverse opinion about Bhai Hawara or the movie.