‘Satluj’, Earlier ‘Punjab ‘95’, Abruptly Withdrawn from OTT After 2-day Run

After years of battling certification hurdles, title changes, and repeated release delays, Honey Trehan's 'Satluj' (formerly ‘Punjab '95’ and ‘Ghallughara’)—named after Panjab’s major river— was taken down on 5 Jul evening, from the streaming platform Zee5, within 48 hours of its release. Zee5 is a subscription video-on-demand Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming service owned by Zee Entertainment Enterprises. The movie has not been approved by India's Central Board of Film Certification—mandatory for a film's release in cinemas, but not mandatory for release on a digital platform. Zee5 announced that the film, based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who was abducted and killed by Panjab police in 1995, has been removed from Zee5's Indian catalog, while being available internationally on Zee5 Global. The Indian union government has given no reason to stall the movie’s release for four years, how it was later released on a streaming platform, or why it has again been withdrawn. The protagonist of the film, Diljit Dosanjh, urged fans to download it while it was still streaming. The movie is being rapidly shared among viewers who have rallied behind it and criticized its withdrawal. Ruling Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Sikh leader Harvinder Singh Phoolka and Member of Parliament Harbhajan Singh praised the film on its release but remained silent on the withdrawal. The apex Sikh body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) strongly condemned the removal of the film. SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami said justice-loving people across the world, including Panjab, have every right to know, understand, and learn from their history. Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal said he was 'shocked and saddened'. Indian National Congress (INC) Member of Panjab Legislative Assembly Sukhpal Singh Khaira said, 'The removal of this fact-based film contradicts the decision of the Supreme Court of India that upheld the conviction of guilty police officers.' Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Malvinder Singh Kang said, ‘When a film raises uncomfortable questions about the human rights violations and atrocities in Panjab, it disappears from an OTT platform. Why? Who is afraid of Panjab's truth?' Diljit summed up the issue, ‘The film has reached every home, people are talking about Khalra. But what was suppressed in 1995, remains suppressed in 2026’ (earlier coverage).

Panjab CM Bhagwant Mann Photo by Hindustan Times

AAP Doles Out Welfare Scheme For Women as Elections Approach

The Bhagwant Mann-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government launched its flagship women’s financial aid initiative—Mawan Dhiyan Satkar Yojana on 1 Jul, from the Chief Minister’s home turf, Dhuri, Sangrur district. Under the scheme, every woman in every household is expected to receive USD 10.52 per month and USD 15.77 in the case of women from Backward Castes. More than 4M women registered for the scheme by 1 Jul. The scheme is projected to cover nearly 97% of adult women and the government began depositing three months’ installments into the bank accounts of women beneficiaries. Nearly 3.2M women in Panjab received the first installment of financial assistance. In Amritsar, the district administration has found 188,026 women, including 52,488 belonging to Backward Castes, eligible for the monthly aid. The administration had engaged 3,484 Mahila Satkar Sakhis (volunteers) across the three constituencies in Majitha, Jandiala Guru, and Amritsar South. With the release of the first installment, more women are approaching help centers and anganwadi (day care) centers for registration. However, staff involved in the process are facing difficulties due to repeated server outages that are disrupting online services. Pawandeep Kaur, a homemaker, said applicants had to wait for hours for registration on 2 Jul. By 3 Jul, Ludhiana district had recorded the highest number of registrations under the scheme with 505,850 beneficiaries. Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar has reported the lowest number of registrations with 94,145 beneficiaries. Pooja, a resident of Ludhiana, said, ‘We have been informed that even if our applications are completed in August, we will receive all four due installments together.’ The state government has allocated USD 976.5M for the scheme in the budget. The scheme is expected to distract the people from the video controversy involving CM Mann, including his summons by Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne). In the past, welfare measures have showcased changing voting patterns in the state. However, opposition leaders have termed the scheme as opportunistic. Certain high-income segments, like serving and retired government employees, income tax payers, and current and former lawmakers—Members of Parliament and Members of Legislative Assembly—have been excluded from the scheme. Those already receiving social security pensions under the widow, aged, and handicapped categories are, however, eligible for the honorarium (earlier coverage).

Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Farooqabad, Pakistan Photo by The Express Tribune

Pakistan: Gurdwara Demolished; Asserts Rights on Indus Waters

A 125-year-old Gurdwara in Farooqabad, east Panjab, Pakistan was demolished on 24 Jun night. An official said, 'A local businessman had demolished the Gurdwara without obtaining the required No Objection Certificate.' On 1 Jul, East Panjab Minorities Minister Ramesh Singh Arora visited the Gurdwara Singh Sabha’s site in Farooqabad and announced its immediate restoration. Indian Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal said, 'We strongly condemn this highly deplorable and targeted act of vandalism against a revered Sikh shrine. Its destruction, along with reports of no meaningful action being taken by local authorities or the Evacuee Trust Property Board, is a matter of grave concern.' Delhi’s Bharatiya Janata Party minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa said, 'It is regrettable that Pakistan, a country that goes around the world guaranteeing the safety of minorities, has not only allowed the encroachment of numerous Gurdwaras but has also converted them into markets.' Meanwhile, Pakistan Prime Minister’s Coordinator for the National Paigham-e-Aman (Message of Love) Committee, Hafiz Muhammad Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi, announced the reconstruction and preservation of the Gurdwara. Concurrently, upon a delayed and reduced monsoon in the Indian subcontinent and India withholding water from Pakistan’s rivers, Pakistan organized an international conference on the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) on 30 Jun. At the conference, Pakistan's Member of the National Assembly, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, said Pakistan wanted 'peace with dignity' and 'dialogue under law' as he accused India of undermining the IWT. He added, 'We want coexistence, but not submission. Pakistan will defend its water, its people, its treaty, its sovereignty, and its future.' Referring to the IWT, Bilawal said, 'The Indus is not a pressure point. The Indus is not a bargaining chip. The Indus is not a weapon to be placed in India’s hands. The Indus is a lifeline of Pakistan. Any attempt to turn that lifeline into a noose must be treated as a threat to the survival of our state.' Pakistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who addressed the conference, described the IWT as 'not merely a water-sharing arrangement but a vital instrument of regional peace, stability, and cooperation'. India has said IWT will remain in abeyance until Pakistan ‘credibly and irrevocably’ stops supporting cross-border terrorism (earlier coverage).

Panjab power representational Photo by The Tribune

Power Crisis Worsens as Protests by PSPCL Workers Continue

Contractual and outsourced workers at thermal power plants in Rupnagar and Lehra Mohabbat, Bathinda district, called off their strike on 1 Jul, after the Panjab government agreed to their demand for direct contractual engagement with Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL). The Punjab State Transmission Corporation Limited announced the transition of its outsourced workforce to direct contracts, following a state policy decision, and the Panjab government resolved the major strike. PSPCL announced that agricultural feeders across the state were receiving up to 20 hours of electricity supply to compensate farmers for the shortfall during the peak paddy transplantation season. PSPCL Chairman-cum-Managing Director, Dr. Basant Garg, said the state's power situation had returned to normal and agricultural feeders had been receiving up to 20 hours of electricity over the past 24 hours. Panjab’s peak power demand touched 17,147 MW on 29 Jun and 17,085 MW on 30 Jun. Following recent rainfall, the demand declined to around 14K MW. However, the outsourced workers resumed their indefinite strike immediately after alleging that PSPCL had failed to honor its commitment regarding their absorption under departmental contracts. Protests by outsourced employees, including meter readers, intensified outside the PSPCL head office in Patiala, as demonstrators briefly surrounded the main entry gate of the power utility's headquarters and 20 meter readers climbed a nearby water tank. The protesters continue to demand regularization of services, release of pending salaries, and clearance of other dues. The president of the Outsource Employees Union, Harvinder Sharma, alleged that despite the Panjab government's assurances, the PSPCL management had failed to initiate the regularization process. Additionally in Jalandhar, regular employees launched a work-to-rule protest, raising concerns over further delays in grievance redressal and field operations. The employees have announced they would work strictly between 9 am–5 pm, switch off official phones after duty hours, refuse overtime, and perform only those duties assigned under existing service rules. Moreover, in Jalandhar and Phagwara, incidents of angry consumers forcibly entering electricity substations and threatening employees over prolonged power cuts led the PSPCL to seek police protection for all 66 substations. In Ludhiana, electricity billing operations in the Central Zone remained severely disrupted, with over 110K consumer bills yet to be delivered. The indefinite strike continues into its third week (earlier coverage).

J&K CM Farooq Abdullah Photo by The Hindu

J&K Mutton Crisis Solved After Panjab Revokes Entry Tax

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) faced a major mutton availability crisis after wholesale mutton dealers went on an indefinite strike and retail meat sellers suspended sales to protest the imposition of hefty unauthorized charges on livestock-carrying vehicles transiting through Panjab. The Kashmir Mutton Dealers Association (KMDA) suspended the import of sheep and goats into the Union Territory from markets outside J&K. KMDA general secretary Mehraj-ud-Din said traders transporting livestock from Delhi, Haryana, and Rajasthan were being subjected to unauthorized fee collection and repeated stoppages while passing through Panjab. He said, 'In 2025, traders were compelled to pay around USD 105 per truck. We paid about USD 1.8M as unauthorized transit tax. Now they are forcing us to pay between USD 210–315 for every livestock vehicle crossing Panjab.' He said that livestock-laden trucks are frequently detained for several hours at multiple checkpoints by contractor groups in Panjab; and that the prolonged delays, particularly amid scorching heat, have led to the death of several sheep during transit, resulting in additional financial losses for traders. The protest prompted J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah to seek immediate intervention from his Panjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann. CM Abdullah referred to the findings of an internal committee of the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs. The committee found that transporters were being compelled to make substantial payments per vehicle during transit 'without any apparent legal sanction'. It also observed that livestock movement is exempt from Goods and Services Tax and that the continued collection of such charges was placing an additional burden on the livestock trade, eventually affecting meat prices and consumers in J&K. On 3 Jul, the All Kashmir Wholesale and Retail Mutton Dealers Association president, Khazir Mohammad Regoo announced that the dispute over the 'illegal' levy imposed on Kashmiri meat traders has been resolved. The Kashmir mutton sellers have called off the strike. While the crisis was highlighted in the media, the resolution is hardly mentioned. Like Panjab took the initiative to solve the crisis, it should urge Himachal Pradesh to resolve extra entry tax issues faced by Panjabi travelers (earlier coverage).

Former Panjab CM Charnjit Singh Channi Photo by India Today

INC Retains Warring as Panjab Chief, Sparks Dissatisfaction Among Workers

Unable to resolve factionalism and the leadership tangle in the Indian National Congress (INC) Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (state unit, PPCC), ahead of the assembly elections, the INC had appointed three observers to visit Panjab—Ajay Maken, Meenakshi Natarajan, and Bhajan Lal Jatav—to assess the political scenario. The observers reported the INC workers’ unhappiness with state chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and favored former Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi. On 2 Jul, INC released its list of heads of various panels for the upcoming Assembly polls and again appointed Warring as state chief, along with three working presidents. The INC placed Channi in charge of the election campaign. The INC list shows that the party has tried to accommodate its various factions and leaders. INC named former minister Vijay Inder Singla, chairman of the Election Management and Coordination Committee, and senior leader Sukhjinder Randhawa has been entrusted with heading the Core Committee. Another senior leader, Amar Singh, will lead the Manifesto Committee. Member of Parliament from Chandigarh and former Union minister, Manish Tewari, has been excluded from the list. Responding to his exclusion, Tewari posted a cryptic message on X, 'Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be.' Channi maintained a studied silence but called for a meeting of INC workers and leaders at his residence in Morinda, Rupnagar district. Many senior leaders, including those considered close to Warring, attended the meeting and came out in favor of Channi. Channi's detractors argue that he is under the scanner of the Enforcement Directorate and the Punjab Vigilance Bureau, so the party cannot risk him as its state chief. Meanwhile, on the same day as Channi’s meeting, Randhawa met with the union Home Minister Amit Shah. Though Randhawa clarified that the meeting was about law and order and national security concerns in Panjab’s border districts, the timing provoked rumors of him joining the Bharatiya Janata Party. The issue INC has in Panjab is not just who heads the party in the state, but its constant misreading of the ground situation, along with its inability to find a leader who inspires trust in the party cadre (earlier coverage).

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Land Pooling Representational Photo by Hindustan Times

Cabinet Revises Land Pooling Policy; Regularizes Unauthorized Colonies

The Panjab Cabinet approved fresh amendments to the state’s Land Pooling Policy, 2021 on 1 Jul, offering additional benefits to landowners, amid continuing protests against the scheme. The policy—revised for the third time—enhances the size of residential and commercial plots to be allotted to landowners in exchange for land surrendered under the policy. The owners will get an additional 10–40 sq yd commercial or residential plot per acre of land they give up under the policy. The high-level meeting was attended by the sarpanches (village council heads) of the villages falling under the Aerotropolis acquisition area. Furthermore, original landowners allotted developed plots under the policy will not have to pay stamp duty or other charges at the time of registration or execution of the conveyance deed. Eligible landowners will also receive one tubewell connection, while farmers participating in the policy will be eligible for allotment of plots at preferential locations. The cabinet also initiated the process to change the land use of nearly 54 acres of Manauli village, Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (SAS Nagar) district—in the SAS Nagar Master Plan—from institutional to industrial category. A draft proposal has been placed in the public domain, inviting objections and suggestions from stakeholders within 30 days. Additionally, the cabinet approved an amendment to Rule 31 of the Punjab Apartment and Property Regulation (PAPR) Rules, enabling regularization of unauthorized colonies where 25% construction has taken place. Under the rule, a promoter or developer who has developed an unauthorized colony may apply to the authority for reaching an agreement on reduced payment for the offense. The cabinet also amended the Jalandhar Master Plan to reclassify nearly 200 acres in Mehli village from residential to industrial zone. Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate has uncovered that private developers are altering layout plans in ongoing real estate projects by exploiting provisions under the Real Estate Regulatory Authority Act and bypassing safeguards under Section 14 of the Act. The probe has revealed a nexus between developers and officials of the Greater Mohali Area Development Authority. Concurrently, the union government has extended the Punjab Right to Business Act, 2020, to Chandigarh. The notification seeks to establish a streamlined, technology-driven regulatory framework for industrial and commercial enterprises in Chandigarh (earlier coverage).

Cotton representational Photo by Textile Value Chain

Not Many Takers for Cotton Seed Subsidy; Soil Under Stress

Panjab government’s initiative to encourage cotton cultivation by offering a 33% subsidy on certified BT cotton hybrids and desi (native) seed varieties is not attracting farmers. Panjab Agriculture Department says that only 19K farmers registered under the scheme in 2026, compared to 52K in 2025—a 63% decline. The reduced participation is due to pest attacks and unfavorable weather conditions that have affected cotton cultivation since 2021. Concurrently, erratic power supply and absence of rain have left paddy farmers across Panjab worried about rising cultivation costs, with some reporting cracks in their fields and being forced to rely on diesel generators for irrigation. When cracks develop, water seeps deep into the ground, making irrigation more difficult. Farmer Dalbir Singh from Ismail village, Jalandhar district, says, ‘If we don’t get proper electricity supply now, crop yield will get affected,’ adding that weeds had also started growing in his fields, forcing him to spend more on weed management. Additionally, soil is showing signs of fatigue after years of intensive wheat-paddy cultivation in many parts of Panjab. Excessive dependence on chemical fertilizers, declining organic matter, and increasing cultivation costs have produced a crisis less visible than a drought or pest attack, but more damaging to farming. This prompted Punjab Agricultural University to launch its month-long Khet Bachao Abhiyan (save your fields campaign), during which scientists and agriculture officials traveled to villages and interacted with more than 6.5K farmers, rural women, Self-Help Groups, Farmer Producer Organizations, and other stakeholders. Farmers were cautioned over excessive chemical and fertilizer use, and to improve soil organic matter through green manuring. Panjab has 1.53% of the country’s total area, but its share in chemical usage is around 8–9% of India's. The state has 0.51% organic matter in the soil against the minimum requirement of 1%, while the international standards suggest having around 3–5% organic matter in the soil. Meanwhile, a fresh controversy over the proposed inclusion of Madhya Pradesh in the Geographical Indication area for Basmati rice has triggered strong opposition from Panjab’s exporters, rice millers, and farming community. Ashok Sethi, Director, Punjab Rice Millers Exporters Association, has written a letter to the union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, urging to retain Basmati cultivation within the traditional Indo-Gangetic belt (earlier coverage).

Paddy transplantation Photo by Hindustan Times

Monsoon Arrives, Farmers Relieved; Environmental Governance Under Scrutiny

Rains lashed parts of Panjab on 2 Jul, signaling the entry of the southwest monsoon and bringing much-needed relief from a prolonged heatwave. The onset of the monsoon is crucial for farmers as the paddy transplantation is currently underway. Maximum temperatures fell sharply across the state, leading to a significant drop in electricity demand. Meanwhile, Panjab’s environmental governance has come under sharp scrutiny as environmentalists have flagged multiple cases of reckless felling, uprooting of mature and heritage trees for development projects—often without mandatory approvals. Panjab is yet to enact legislation for the protection of trees in urban areas outside notified forests, though it has proposed a penalty for violators. Taking cognizance of the matter, the Punjab and Haryana High Court (PHHC) imposed a strict state-wide ban on the cutting or uprooting of any trees without explicit prior judicial permission. In a recent order, PHHC also granted an interim stay on the felling of 3–5K mature trees proposed for the Zirakpur-Panchkula bypass project. In Faridkot, a proposal to cut 784 mature trees at the 137-acre premises of the defunct Faridkot Cooperative Sugar Mill to develop an industrial park has triggered protests by residents, farmer unions, and environmental groups. In February 2026, a 100-year-old banyan tree and several fruit-bearing trees located on Bhakra Beas Management Board’s land were cut in violation of the PHHC’s ban at the post office building in Nangal, Rupnagar district. Additionally, an Amritsar-based youth has won a national award for highlighting the significance of kikkar (Vachellia nilotica) as a tree of life in an art exhibition. Organized by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage, the competition received 12K entries from students of classes 7–11 from across India. The exhibit prepared by Sehajpreet Singh Sokhal, a Class 8 student, was selected as a national winner. Sehajpreet says, ‘It is one of the native trees of Panjab that is disappearing rapidly…It is ecologically and culturally significant, and also supports livelihoods through its role in farming’. The kikkar’s value lies in its practical use in everyday rural life in Panjab. It thrives in harsh conditions, is used in agroforestry, provides fodder for livestock, and its wood is used to make agricultural implements. But the tree is disappearing from Panjab (earlier coverage).

Posters against Panjab CM Mann in villages

10.

Political Parties Use AI Videos to Target Rivals; ‘Akal Takht’ Warns AAP

With the 2025 Assembly elections approaching, political parties in Panjab are increasingly putting out AI videos to target rivals, while simultaneously dismissing inconvenient content as fabricated. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shiromani Akali Dal, and Indian National Congress are all using AI-generated videos portraying fictitious conversations between political leaders, often mimicking real voices. These videos are typically labeled as 'AI-generated', but experts warn the distinction is increasingly lost on ordinary viewers. Social media teams of parties acknowledge the growing use of AI tools, citing platforms capable of generating scripts, voices, and video avatars within hours. A party's social media handler said, 'Characters are created using real photographs, while voice cloning tools replicate speech patterns from public recordings. We are using some expensive AI-software and tools to create such videos. It takes two to three hours to produce a near-real video.' Most of the teams making such videos outsource the production. Meanwhile, the standoff between the Sikh institutions and the AAP-led Panjab government has taken a new turn, with Sri Akal Takht Sahib (Eternal Throne) Jathedar (leader) Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargajj, issuing a 10-day ultimatum to the state government to shut down two AAP IT Cell offices in Chandigarh and Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, alleging that they are spreading 'vilified propaganda' against the the Takht. Addressing a Panthic (Sikh collective) gathering, organized by the apex Sikh body Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), at Gurdwara Manji Sahib Diwan Hall in the Darbar Sahib (Golden Temple) complex in Amritsar, Giani Gargajj warned that if the government failed to act within 10 days against anti-AT propaganda, Nihang Sikhs (Traditional Warriors) would be sent to close the offices. The gathering called AT's 15 Jun edict, over the video desecrating Sikh Gurus purportedly featuring CM Mann, a collective voice of the Panth, and accused the Panjab government and AAP of challenging AT. At the center of the controversy is a video which results from forensic laboratories say is genuine but CM Mann claims is AI-generated. The gathering passed five resolutions to be communicated to all Sikh organizations, Singh Sabhas, missionary institutions, and SGPC constituencies to inform local Sikh congregations about 'conspiracies' against the community and to form village-level committees to promote awareness of traditions and customs (earlier coverage).

Notes

Updates

SCT: 300-year-old Guru Granth Sahib manuscript arrives in Scotland.
IN: Panjab’s first-quarter GST collection logs 24% jump (earlier coverage).
IN: Trained in Dera Bassi, canines set to be deployed in Namibia

'Akal Takht' Lays Bare Gaps in How Anti-Sacrilege Law Was Passed

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Opposition Presents Evidence Against CM Mann & Demands Resignation

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‘Satluj’, Earlier ‘Punjab ‘95’, Abruptly Withdrawn from OTT After 2-day Run