Sadda Haq Punjabi movie to release in Punjab and other states on May 10

Chandigarh/ Punjab (April 28, 2013): According to information available through various media sources the much awaited Punjabi movie Sadda Haq will be released on May 10 after the Supreme Court lifted bans by various state governments. The producers of the movie announced reportedly made an announcement that the film will open in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, UP, Chandigarh and Delhi.

On the other hand Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal on said that the state government would abide by the Supreme Court’s decision.

He reprotedly added that if the release of the film led to any law and order problem, the state was committed to maintaining peace at all costs.

“The lifting of the ban is a big relief. This had been our request from the very beginning – we had asked the Punjab Government too to set up a committee of neutral members for the screening of the film and then decide accordingly. On the advice of our counsel, we moved the Supreme Court for a faster judgment, and this is a landmark judgment for any Indian film,” producer Dinesh Sood said.

He was joined by film’s actor-writer-co producer Kuljinder Singh Sidhu, Upwinder Sidhu, Nidhi Sidhu and Surinder Dhalla at a press conference held at Press Club, Chandigarh.

Dinesh Sood added that the Supreme Court of India has directed the Central Board of Film Certification to give the film an “A” Certificate.

“That’s the only change we’ve been asked to follow and we would be happy if we get a U/A certificate. We will come to know about the certification on Monday,” Sood reprotedly added.

“According to the Supreme Court, the film should run and if there is any law and order situation, the state has to address it, not ban the film,” Sood reportedly added.

In the meantime, the film, released worldwide on April 5, is breaking records.

“We have crossed the record collection of two and half lakh pounds and dollars in UK and USA respectively,” the film’s producer stated.

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Sultanpuri Massacre 1984 – Delhi high court to pronounce verdict today on plea against charge-sheet by Sajjan Kumar

New Delhi, India (April 29, 2013): The Delhi high court is scheduled to pronounce it’s verdict on April 29, 2013 regarding a plea of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar against a trial court order framing charges against him in a case related to November 1984 Sikh massacre case related to the brutal killings of six Sikh in Sultanpuri area of Delhi.

Sajjan Kumar – Indian politician who is facing murder charges in an incident related to Sikh Genocide 1984

It is notable that Justice Suresh Kait of Delhi High Court who had reserved the order in December last year in this matter. Now he is scheduled to pronounce the verdict at 10.30 am on April 29, 2013. Besides the Congress leader, co-accused Ved Prakash Pial alias Vedu Pradhan and Brahmanand Gupta had also moved the high court against framing of charges against them in the case.

Complainant Sheela Kaur had filed a cross-appeal in the high court seeking to invoke the charges of criminal conspiracy against Kumar and other four accused in the case.

Earlier in July 2010, a lower court had framed charges against Kumar, Brahmanand Gupta, Peru, Khushal Singh and Ved Prakash in connection with the case in which six persons were killed in Sultanpuri Massacre.

The case is one of the two that had been registered by the CBI following recommendations by the Justice Nanavati Commission in 2005. The CBI had filed its charge-sheets in both cases in 2010, but the trial for this case had been deferred as the court was hearing the second case related to the death of five persons in Delhi Cantonment area.

It is notable that thousands of Sikhs were burnt alive in state-sponsored massacres in November 1984. These massacres that we part of a co-ordinated and systematic genocide of Sikhs, were carried out throughout India in first week of November. Most of the culprits of these massacres have enjoyed impunity and state patronage for last 29 years.

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Bhullar’s Death Sentence – ‘Justice Rally” at Geneva – Rights Group calls for global campaign to “boycott Air India”

Switzerland, Geneva (April 27, 2013): Seeking United Nations intervention to save death row inmate Devenderpal Singh Bhullar, a Swiss NGO “Movement Against Atrocities and Repression” (MAAR) and Sikhs For Justice” (SFJ) an international human rights group, filed an appeal with Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions, Honorable Christof Heyns on April 25.

Switzerland Protest against suspected execution of Sikh political prisoner in India (April 25, 2013)

Hundreds of Sikhs who converged Geneva from Itlay, Germany, France, Poland, Belgium, Holland, UK and Switzerland held a ‘Justice Rally” before UN Office seeking intervention for suspension of Bhullar’s death sentence.

To show solidarity with Prof. Bhullar, the European Sikh community and Sikh organizations also unanimously passed the resolution and decided to support the global campaign to “Boycott Air India”.

Justifying the support to ‘Boycott Air India” globally, Harminder Singh Khalsa, a spokesperson of MAAR, stated that the economic loss to Air India as result of Sikh community’s boycott of the airline will be a wakeup call for a system that is biased against Sikhs. Harminder Singh Khalsa, who now lives in Switzerland, is accused and convicted of high jacking of Indian Airlines flight from Srinagar to Lahore on July 5, 1984.

On April 14, Sikh rights group (SFJ) gave a call to globally “Boycott Air India” resulting in continuous cancellation of Air India flights from Toronto, Canada. The SFJ legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, urged the Sikh community to stop financially supporting a “System of Governance” which kills innocent Sikhs, subjects them to genocidal attacks and completely denies justice.

The appeal to UN states that Bhullar’s case warrants “immediate intervention” because after the denial of his recent appeal by the Supreme Court, his execution is imminent. The appeal submitted to Honorable Christof Heyns urges to (a) send a “fact finding” mission to India to investigate the torture perpetrated on Bhullar which resulted in “dubious confession” and his conviction and (b) ask Government of India to respect Universal Declaration of Human Rights and suspend Bhullar’s death sentence.

A delegation of European human rights activists met Mr. Sharof Azizov, a key member of Rapporteur’s team and urged to form a special commission and send a “fact finding” mission to investigate and save Devenderpal Singh Bhullar who is facing imminent “execution” in India.

Mr. Azizov the spokesperson for Special Rapporteur, while assuring the Sikh community of UN intervention in Bhullar’s matter asked the delegation to submit the details of torture used against Bhullar to extract confession; extradition judicial killing of Bhullar’s family members and details of other death row inmates in India if they were convicted under TADA.

According to Master Karnail Singh founder President of Sikh Foundation, Switzerland, Bhullar’s conviction and planned execution, violates fundamental principles of justice, and his continuous detention for the past sixteen years violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and shocks human dignity.

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After victory against ban – Sadda Haq team paid obeisance at Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib

New Delhi, India (April 26, 2013): Punjabi Movie Sadda Haq passed through various phases of struggles for getting clearance for screening in the cinema halls.

As the movie got clearance from the Supreme Court of India for screening in cinema hall through out India; the team members of Sadda Haq paid obeisance at Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib, Chandni Chowk, Delhi.

Kuljinder Sidhu and Dinesh Sood at Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib (April 26, 2013)

“Sukrana Ardass at Gurudwara Seesh Ganj , New Delhi “koor nikhute Nanka ork Sach rahi” Gurbani, In the end its truth which wins and lie always get’s defeat.” Sadda Haq producers wrote along with a photo on their Facebook Fans Page.

“Thanks to all of you for your prayers”, they wrote further.

It is notable that a special screening of the movie was held in Court Room number 15 of the Supreme Court of India today where senior Supreme Court lawyers watched the movie in the presence of Sadda Haq producers Kuljinder Sidhu and Dinesh Sood.

The penal formed by SCI to advise the court on the issue of petition moved by the producers of the movie against the imposed by state governments of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Jammu & Kashmir; advised the court to lift the ban.

Accordingly the SCI lifted the ban from the movie.

Previously the movie was scheduled to be released in October 2012 but it was banned by Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). After this ban the members of the Sadda Haq team filed a review that was dismissed by CBFC. Then the producers knocked the doors of Film Certification Appellate Tribunal (FCAT), and the movie was cleared by FCAT with minor changes.

The movie was banned by Punjab government on April 04 – a day before it’s worldwide released.

The movie was banned by Punjab Government led by Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal under pressure from high-ups in Punjab police, who had feared that the movie could expose their black deeds.

The producers of the movie tried to convince Punjab government to review their decision to ban the movie but the situation turned worse when the neighbouring states of Haryana, Delhi, Chandigarh and Jammu & Kashmir also banned the movie.

As a last resort actor-cum-producer Kuljinder Sidhu moved the Supreme court of India against the ban. The Supreme Court issued a notice to the concerned states on April 11. The states filed their reply on April 24. On April 25 the Supreme court heard the arguments from both sides and decided to form a penal to review the movie.

On April 26 (today) the screening of the movie was held in Court Room number 15, where the judges of the SCI bench and senior lawyers watched the movie.

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