US Names School After Khalra; Diljit Faces Backlash over 'Sardaarji 3'

Fresno, California made history on 26 Jun with the opening of Jaswant Singh Khalra Elementary School—the first elementary school in the US named in honor of the Sikh human rights activist who was abducted and killed by the Panjab police in 1995. The school’s name honors Khalra who is remembered globally for his courage and advocacy on behalf of the voiceless. District leaders said the event marks a significant moment not only for Fresno, but for Sikh-American and Panjabi-American history as well. Meanwhile, in India, 2.5 years after being submitted to the Central Board of Film Certification, the movie Punjab ‘95 based on Khalra’s life is still awaiting clearance to be screened. Honey Trehan, the director of the movie says in the 30^th year since Khalra’s disappearance, his story has been abducted once again. Trehan and Daljit Singh alias Diljit Dosanjh who plays the protagonist in the movie have refused the 127 cuts the CBFC has asked for on the movie. They have also announced if the movie is released with cuts, they will withdraw their names. Diljit was again recently trolled by Hindutva right-wing for his new movie Sardaarji 3: The movie had cast Pakistani actor Hania Aamir. After the Pahalgam attack on 23 Apr and the hostilities between India and Pakistan, the trolls are questioning Diljit’s nationalism over casting Aamir. In an interview Diljit even explains the shooting of the film took place in February when there was no issue with Pakistan. The Federation of Western India Cine Employees has sent a letter to the Chairperson,CBFC, to ‘Withhold certification of the film Sardaarji 3, containing Pakistani artists.’ The movie producers had anyway decided to release the movie abroad and forgo the India rights though they are substantial. On 29 June, RP Singh, National Secretary of the Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) called Diljit ‘a national asset and a global ambassador of Indian culture.’ BJP union minister Ravneet Singh Bittu from Panjab also came out in Diljit’s support. Since then, Indian media has started reporting positively on the movie’s earnings abroad.