The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has formed a high-level Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) to review the content of Diljit Dosanjh’s film ‘Sutlej’, based on the disappearance of a human rights activist from Punjab. The move came a day after MIB directed to remove the film from OTT platform Zee5. According to sources with knowledge of the matter, this action was taken under the provisions of Section 69A of the IT Act and Part III of the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
Also read: Will there be a stir in The Alliance? Will Aly Goni come to support brother Arsalan Goni?
What does the officer say?
On condition of anonymity, a senior MIB official said the matter is currently being reviewed by the IDC, formed under Rule 14 of the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The committee has the right to submit its recommendations to the Central Government on matters related to content.
According to ministry sources, ‘The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has formed a high-level Inter-Departmental Committee (IDC) to investigate the content of Diljit Dosanjh’s film ‘Sutlej’, inspired by the disappearance of a human rights activist from Punjab. The committee was formed on Monday, a day after the Center directed OTT platform Zee5 to remove the film from its platform.
What is Section 69A?
Section 69A empowers the government to direct intermediaries to block access to any information through any computer resource. Part III of the IT Rules takes this framework forward in a limited manner and applies it to publishers of online curated content as well as online news, empowering the MIB to issue such directions to OTT platforms and digital news publishers.
Also read: Big bang in Lock Up 2, after Riteish-Farah, Karan Kundrra and Elvish Yadav will become the new jailers.
Why is there controversy?
The film shows the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who was kidnapped in 1995 and no information was found about him after that. Initially titled ‘Punjab 95’, the film was sent to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) for certification in 2022. It is said that the board headed by Prasoon Joshi had suggested 127 cuts in the film.
When the makers refused to make the suggested cuts, the film was released on Zee5 without any changes on Friday. However, by Sunday, Zee5 announced the removal of the film from its Indian platform.
Entertainment News Hindi Today only at Prabhasakshi