A spurt in making Punjabi films to exploit issues emotive for Sikhs such as security operation in the Golden Temple complex in Amritsar in 1984 anti-Sikh riots has left the security establishment worried.
In a report to the Home Ministry, the Intelligence Bureau has said that these films were based on the issues like 'Operation Blue Star', which was carried out by Indian Army in Golden temple to flush out Sikh militants, 1984 riots, during which more than 3300 Sikhs were killed, and alleged atrocities by police during the height of militancy in Punjab.
"These films also portray erstwhile militants as saviours of Sikh community. While economic reasons are quite obvious, any perceptible impact of these films on the minds of young Sikh generation is yet to be noticed," the report said.
Last three years have seen making of at least six such Punjabi films. While one film was released in 2013 and another one ('Quom De Heere') could not get clearance from the Censor Board, four others are going to be released in coming months.
The first movie released (on May 1, 2015) was 'The Blood Street' produced by Canada-based Jasbir Singh Boparai. The movie depicts how Sikh families were victims of alleged police atrocities during post-1984 period in Punjab after the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by her Sikh body guards and attempts to justify Sikh youths of that time taking up arms, the report said.
