Akal Takht Sahib acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj has condemned the reported ban on the screening of Sutlej, a film based on the life of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, calling it an attack on freedom of expression.

In a statement, Gargaj said preventing the film from being shown in India was unconstitutional and unfair, arguing that the story highlights alleged human rights abuses against Sikhs during the 1990s. He said Khalra's work documenting alleged enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings could not be suppressed, adding that "the truth cannot be hidden forever."

Gargaj also questioned why films depicting the suffering of other communities are allowed to be screened while a film addressing the experiences of Sikhs is reportedly being blocked, saying such a distinction was unjustified.