Modi govt mulls action against ZEE5 for streaming Diljit Dosanjh’s Satluj
New Delhi : The Indian government is considering punitive action against OTT platform ZEE5 for streaming Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Satluj, a film based on the 1984 anti-Sikh violence and its aftermath.
According to Kashmir Media Service, the decision to continue the ban on online streaming of the film was taken a few days ago.
The Modi government invoked Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000, to block the film after it was streamed last Friday, and subsequently confirmed the blocking order.
The Modi government has sought clarification from ZEE5. The platform reportedly said it was not aware of previous concerns around the film or that the Central Board of Film Certification had not cleared it in 2022 and had asked for 127 cuts.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s inter-departmental committee has also summoned ZEE5 representatives and the film’s producers to explain how a red-flagged film was put online.
The government is mulling amendments to the IT Act to make certification of OTT content compulsory for online streaming.
The film is based on the 1984 anti-Sikh riots and the targeting of the Sikh people in India and abroad. It deals with themes of anti-Sikh violence, injustice, and the impact of those events on Sikh families.
