Chandigarh/ Punjab (April 6, 2013): Protesting against the ban imposed by Punjab Government on Sadda Haq Punjabi movie the producer and actor Kuljinder Sidhu has termed the ban as shameful. The film was released worldwide on Friday, April 5. However, a day ahead of the release of the film on Thursday (April 4), Punjab government decided to ban the film under pressure from the police and the bureaucracy.
The neighboring state of Haryana and the UT of Chandigarh have also banned the film. Kuljinder Sidhu has termed the ban “shameful” and a “black spot on democracy” and said that they were planning to move the court to revoke the ban on his film.
“It’s a black day in the country’s democracy. It’s unfair that a few bureaucrats watched the film and decided to impose a ban,” Sidhu reportedly said.
“We tried to seek an appointment with Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal to impress upon him that the decision was unjustified, but in vain.”, he added.
“When the censor board has approved it, and even the SGPC (Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee) has given a nod, I don’t understand this ban. The CM and deputy CM should have been involved, but this is a decision taken by a few bureaucrats,” added Kuljinder Sidhu.
The Punjabi film is based on the events in the 1980s and 1990s in Punjab.
The film was scheduled to be released on Friday, April 5. The ban on the film came after several senior government officials, including chief secretary of the state watched the film and decided to put a ban.
“The film was banned to maintain communal harmony in the state and it won’t be released in theatres till further orders,” said a statement from the government.