Chandigarh- Two days ago, India ordered YouTube to block access to a documentary by Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) entitled Sikhs, Spies and Murder: Investigating India’s alleged hit on foreign soil, in a sinister move that highlights India’s mounting frustration with the allegations that its government was behind the high-profile killing.
The video-sharing platform said “the content has now been blocked from view” on the YouTube India country site, but it is still available outside India.
YouTube displays the following message : This content is currently unavailable in this (India) country because of an order from the (Indian) government related to national security or public order.
The request marks the third time in just over a year that India has sought to block a documentary, first by BBC critical of the Indian government or its leader, Narendra Modi. Last week, India blocked access to documentary by Canadian national broadcaster’s investigative unit CBC’s Fifth Estate: Contract to Kill, a 43-minute documentary about the shooting death of Hardeep Singh Nijjar.
ABC stands by its journalism on this story. The documentary is available on its website. To ensure fairness and balance, the documentary included a wide range of voices, stakeholders and subject matter experts.
ABC team members visited Punjab and met the family member of the man murdered in Canada, Hardeep Singh Nijjar and also gained rare access to the movement’s leaders including Dal Khalsa office bearers, viewed as extremists by Indian officials, who are in no doubt that the Modi government is targeting Sikh separatists around the world including in Australia.
Dal Khalsa leader Kanwar Pal Singh who has been extensively interviewed by ABC correspondent Ms. Avani Dias on the relevant questions on the Khalistan movement and the killing of Nijjar condemned Indian government for banning the documentary in India. Calling the Indian state as fascist in nature, he termed it a frustrated step by the Modi government feared of getting exposed before the world.
Modi govt can’t silence our voices. Trampling on our rights is a cheap tactic being adopted by the arrogant rulers. They tried in the past too but failed to deter our resolve and determination. No government can stop us in exposing their misdeeds, designs and wrongful acts against the Sikhs and our just cause, said Kanwar Pal Singh.