Punjab bans Punjabi movie 'Shooter' for 'promoting violence, heinous crimes'
Chandigarh: The Punjab government has imposed a ban on the upcoming movie 'Shooter', which is based on the life and crimes of notorious gangster Sukha Kahlwan, saying it promotes "violence" and "heinous crimes".
The order to ban the movie was given by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Sunday, according to a state government statement here.
"Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has ordered a ban on the movie 'Shooter', which is based on the life and crimes of notorious gangster Sukha Kahlwan and promotes violence, heinous crimes, extortion, threats and criminal intimidation, the statement said.
Sukha Kahlwan was shot dead by gangster Vicky Gounder and his accomplices on January 22, 2015, when he was being brought back to Patiala Jail after a court hearing in Jalandhar, it said.
The chief minister has also directed Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta to look into the possible action that could be initiated against one of the film's producers, K V Dhillon, who had reportedly promised in writing, back in 2019, that he would shelve the movie, originally titled 'Sukha Khalwan'.
The DGP has also been asked to look into the role of the promoters, directors and actors of the movie.
According to the statement, Singh has made it clear that his government will not allow any movies, songs, etc. that seek to promote crime, violence and gangsterism or crime in the state, which he alleged had flourished during the previous Akali regime.
The Punjab Police had a week ago registered a case against two Punjabi singers Shubhdeep Singh Sidhu, aka Sidhu Moose Wala, and Mankirat Aulakh for allegedly promoting violence and gun culture in a song uploaded on social media.
Earlier, the Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed the Director General of Police of Punjab, Haryana and Union Territory Chandigarh to ensure that no songs glorifying liquor, drugs and violence are played even in live shows.
The chief minister has directed the police to ensure that nothing is allowed to disturb Punjab's peace and communal harmony.
The DGP disclosed that the matter of banning this controversial movie in Punjab, which was set for release later this month, had been discussed at a meeting with the chief minister on Friday, along with a proposal from ADGP Intelligence Varinder Kumar, recommending a ban on the movie, whose trailer, released on January 18, suggested that the film was highly radical.
In view of the expected repercussions of the movie on the youth and apprehensions of disturbance of public order, it would be appropriate if the release and screening of the movie be banned in the state of Punjab, the ADGP had further stated.
As per the government statement, the movie's Producer had earlier given his commitment after the Mohali police received a complaint about the movie glorifying gangster Sukha Kahlwan, who used to describe himself as sharpshooter and was allegedly involved in more than 20 cases, including that of murder, kidnapping and extortion.
In his letter, Dhillon had written to the SSP Mohali that since you are of the opinion that the content of the film may hurt law and order situation, I am discontinuing the film project".
"But instead of abandoning the project, the producers evidently went ahead with the film, which was now scheduled for release on February 21 under the new title with a new name for its leading protagonist, according to the DGP.
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'Brand Bharat' is statement of authenticity; of being Vishwa Bandhu, says EAM
New Delhi (PTI): External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday extolled the idea of 'Brand Bharat' and said it is "statement of authenticity" in representation, articulation or beliefs, and equally a message that "we are now more comfortable in our own skin".
In a virtual address at India Ideas Conclave, he also underlined that it is also the "brand of Vishwa Bandhu" as on the big stage, a "multi-vector approach" engages the Quad and BRICS, Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Iran and the Global North and Global South.
Nations, like people, enterprises or services, have a reputation. When deeply entrenched into consciousness and easily recognisable, that becomes a brand. Obviously, it is related to the merits of the product and its track record, he said.
"When it comes to a country, the national brand is obviously a fusion and aggregation of different facets of its life. On the global stage, it is much more an integrated positioning of a multiple endeavors. We, in the world of diplomacy, have that responsibility. My thoughts today are about how we discharge that for an India that is more Bharat," Jaishankar said.
In his address, the external affairs minister encapsulated the journey of India from freedom struggle to gaining independence and the course the country took in the succeeding decades.
"Our initial decades after independence saw us struggling with the brand challenge. Given the ground situation, this was not unsurprising. A society recovering from two centuries of colonialism obviously had to painstakingly build itself up, creating new capabilities, institutions and practices," he said.
But at the end of the day, India entered the next century "intact as a polity, energetic as an economy and optimistic as a society".
"None of that could have been taken for granted and some, in fact, failed to make it," he underlined.
The Union minister, who virtually addressed the conclave hosted by India Foundation, lamented that earlier the country, at the global level, was "seen as sizeable player about whom there was limited expectation", and said, however, the last decade has seen a "big shift" in that regard.
"Economically, we are now perceived as much easier to do business. The transformation underway in infrastructure is also increasingly appreciated.
Whether it is the airports, metros, highways or railways, the achievements of the last decade stand out even by global standards. Perhaps, nothing has been more impactful than our embrace of digital technologies," he added.
Jaishankar then went on to expound what is 'Brand Bharat'.
"Bharat is a statement of authenticity, be it in representation, articulation or beliefs. Even our economic energies required a connotation of Atmanirbharta in that background," he asserted.
"It is equally a message that we are now more comfortable in our own skin, drawing on our own past, fashioning our own lexicon and advancing our own ideas," the Union minister added.
He said while recognising these developments, let us also realise that "we are not just one more country".
"Our history, tradition, culture and heritage makes us stand out. We are one of the rare ancient civilisations that have made a successful transition to a nation state. In the past, when our overall standing was less, perhaps this did not count for that much. But when juxtaposed with our achievements in so many fields, it now assumes very different connotation," Jaishankar added.
It is in this context that "we should reflect on Brand Bharat. The very term captures the civilisational aspect, while underlining how much more rooted we have become", he said.
"In a world asserting its independence from a globalised elite, it is an effort to engage the world more on our terms. The formulation of standing on the two legs of technology and tradition is one effective way of expressing Brand Bharat," Jaishankar said.
Coming from the domain of diplomacy, India naturally seek to advance that brand in more specific terms. That means defining how Bharat approaches the world, he said.
"There are a range of answers. The Global South sees a powerful advocate and the driver of Vaccine Maitri. Neighbours recognise a generous and non-reciprocal partner who stood by them during Covid, financial meltdowns or natural disasters. Democracies appreciate a confident partner whose choice has helped universalise their shared attributes," the minister asserted.
"The immediate region and beyond value an emerging 'first responder' and contributor to global goods. And on the big stage, a multi-vector approach engages the Quad and BRICS, Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Iran and the Global North and South. This is the brand of Vishwa Bandhu," he said.
