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Charanjit SIngh Khera
The manner in which the film Satluj has resurfaced raises important questions. If it remained effectively banned or unreleased for nearly six years, only to receive a brief release on a Zee platform and then become the center of an intense social media campaign just before elections, it is reasonable to question whether history is once again being used to shape electoral narratives rather than promote reconciliation. The film was aired for 48 hours and on centers order was removed by the time many downloaded in India and abroad , which now days shown in villages and Gurdwaras for AC comforts.
Punjab appears to be witnessing a familiar pattern. Political messaging increasingly portrays sections of one community as “anti-Satluj”, the other as “pro-Satluj”, while the Punjab ruling party highlights the alleged “paap” of the Congress. Some turn coat type leaders are provocating Hindus without any wisdom,logic or reality instead of burying the past . All this must stop in the interest of Punjab Bhai Chara .Such narratives risk dividing society both horizontally between communities and vertically along political and ideological lines. Some virus has been generated in other two states going for Electoral process .Sikhs are beaten while going to Hemkunt sahib or Manali, ,Shimla only reflects winning election by concern party as sole criteria at cost of Hindu-Sikh division with hatred
There was no ideological differences between two communities during Partition of 1947,and 1984 Sikhs massacre ,both lived in harmony in Punjab . These petty political leaders for vote gains should be especially be cautious about reopening historical wounds. Every internal law-and-order issue should first be viewed through the lens of public peace rather than electoral gain. There is no more demand projecting “Khalistan” in Punjab but still narrative may be build to justify greater deployment of central security forces like West Bengal ,while deepening mistrust within Punjab..
The former bank employ Jaswant Singh Kalra worked hard to highlight the dark side of so called Khalistan moment. State and police which played role of suppressing Khalistan movement by violating human rights law and constitution .Kalra was picked up by Police sep6,1995 and disappeared .He came to limelight that he attended Bhog ceremony of those killed and was fearless in his speeches to the attenders.
The Police by adopting fake encounter was the surest way to get elevated promotions from SSP to higher ranking post in Punjab Police with whims and fancies of then the Politician to allowed them to rule Punjab for decades ,even the police families were not spared .
Whether or not one accepts this interpretation, the episode illustrates how communal polarisation of communities’ pre-election days can influence both electoral outcomes and public institutions.
Today, the lifting of restrictions on Satluj, renewed slogans such as “Naare Baaje“, and the portrayal of late DGP K.P.S. Gill and Beant Singh as Butchers by one community and other as the “saviour of Punjab from terror period thus risk reopening memories of Punjab’s Police Raj rather than promoting reconciliation..
Lack of in-depth information, Knowledge and maturity to know the pulse of Public should get priority not frustration of Ravneet Bittu as his grand father has surfaced in Film. Now he is showing old video with clean shaven dead bodies and questioning authenticity kalra claim of 25000 bodies and his unthoughtful provocation speech to Hindu brethren claiming more than 35000 Hindus were killed . Hindu brethren are condemning his unthoughtful provocation to one community.
The film only says 25000 as per records of Kalra and his book. The office of Kalra and residence was also raided and all records were confiscated, not to be seen thereafter.
Daljit is a world fame singer, and an actor why blame him. He acted as directed by the director without any charges. The Director Honey Tehran has kept the film simple, limited and close to reality.
There is nothing in Satluj that is anti-national or something that may compromise India’s security.
The film projected Punjab’s dark, and ugly side period. Thus projecting and concentrated on Jaswant Singh Kalra human rights activist, not depicted the complete incidents of that period as commonly commented upon one side of the story
No doubt Punjab terrorists gunned down both Hindu and Sikh and even Punjab police force was also cut down by terrorists and how their families suffered. Not how only Hindus suffered.
The Punjab police adopted method of fake encounters since 1960 in fight against smugglers and during Naxalite movement. It Furter modified the fake encounter drill during militancy period by killing even innocents and throwing them into rivers/canal and terming them unidentified
The Sikh community has served as India’s natural western shield, just as the Himalayas protect the north. Sikhs have outstanding tremendous role in world wars where a million of Sikhs men fought on behalf of the British army in the First World War —9,909 of them, are now forgotten in India but other countries remember them annually . It’s been about 30 years since the end of terrorism in Punjab — let’s take the first steps today not to forget, or deny our dark past, but to remember and heal. The guiding principle must remain Sarbat Da Bhalla—the welfare of all. Punjab needs peace, dialogue and reconciliation, not politics that revive historical wounds for electoral advantage.
THe views expressed in article are personnel of the writer in interest of Punjab social atmosphere
🇮🇳 Jai Hind
Charanjit Singh Khera(Retd)
Colcharanjit1403@gmail.com
India’s Rafale fighter jets and C-17 transport aircraft have arrived in Australia to participate in the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) premier multinational air combat exercise, Pitch Black 2026, marking another step in expanding defence cooperation between the two countries.
Announcing the arrival of the Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent, the High Commission of India in Canberra said in a post on X, “The High Commission of India is proud to welcome the Indian Air Force contingent of four Rafale and two C17 aircraft along with over 120 Air Warriors to Darwin to participate in Royal Australian Air Force’s premier air combat exercise Pitch Black 2026.”
The diplomatic mission added that the deployment reflects India’s commitment to strengthening military partnerships and enhancing operational coordination with friendly nations.
“Over the next three weeks, our Air Warriors will fly alongside counterparts from participating nations towards enhancing
India’s Rafale fighter jets and C-17 transport aircraft have arrived in Australia to participate in the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) premier multinational air combat exercise, Pitch Black 2026, marking another step in expanding defence cooperation between the two countries.
Announcing the arrival of the Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent, the High Commission of India in Canberra said in a post on X, “The High Commission of India is proud to welcome the Indian Air Force contingent of four Rafale and two C17 aircraft along with over 120 Air Warriors to Darwin to participate in Royal Australian Air Force’s premier air combat exercise Pitch Black 2026.”
The diplomatic mission added that the deployment reflects India’s commitment to strengthening military partnerships and enhancing operational coordination with friendly nations.
“Over the next three weeks, our Air Warriors will fly alongside counterparts from participating nations towards enhancing
The Andaman & Nicobar Islands are poised to become a strategic gateway for India, a world-class transhipment and logistics hub for the Bay of Bengal, and a model of ecological stewardship, with the government approving the ambitious Rs 81,000 crore Great Nicobar Island Development Project (GNIDP), according to a report.
An article in India Narrative highlighted that this holistic project aims to transform the GNI into a multimodal hub comprising a transhipment port, an international airport, a township, and a power plant, with the vision of developing Great Nicobar as a sustainable, green, global destination for business, trade, and leisure.
Its proximity to the Six Degree Channel and the Strait of Malacca and its position along major shipping routes make it a crucial maritime transhipment hub for India.
The dual-use Greenfield International Airport is planned to handle 4,000 passengers per hour at peak capacity and will support both civilian and military flights, the article observes.
The power plant will have a capacity of 450 MVA. It will supply power to the ICTT and the integrated township, which includes two new greenfield cities at Campbell Bay and Galathea Bay, a cruise terminal, luxury resorts, and industrial facilities.
This project marks the first comprehensive attempt to integrate national security objectives with regional economic development in the Bay of Bengal by positioning the islands as a strategic economic hub.
Geography dictated the choice of Great Nicobar Island for the project, as it lies just 40 nautical miles from the East- West shipping line, which runs along the 6-degree channel and passes through the Strait of Malacca.
Galathea Bay, at the southern tip of the island, is thus an ideal location for a transhipment port as it has a deep 20-metre draft, enabling the entry of large super tankers, the article states.
It further points out that with a coastline of about 1,962 kilometres, the A&N islands also generate, under the provisions of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the eastern Indian Ocean of about 600,000 square kilometres, roughly a third of India’s total EEZ.
The article also highlights that the project has great strategic significance.
Once the GNIDP is established, combat aircraft can be stationed at the dual-use airport and battleships at the ICTT, keeping the entire area under surveillance from the islands themselves, covering the Andaman Sea and extending to the South China Sea. The 6-degree channel is also used by military ships crossing between the Indian and Pacific Oceans. This fact, too, makes Galathea Bay an attractive option for monitoring military movements. This considerably enhances its strategic significance.
Another point of great strategic significance is the possibility of oil being discovered in the area. Offshore oil exploration in the Islands began only in 2020. Before this, the Andaman & Nicobar group of islands was designated a “no-go zone” for oil.
Besides, the article underscores the great importance that is being given to make the project environment-friendly. As part of the environmental effort, 65 sq km of the 130 sq km of affected forest area is green and will not be touched. The remaining area has 18 lakh trees, of which 7.1 lakh will be cut over the next 30 years.
Before a single tree has been cut, 2.4 lakh trees have already been planted under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” scheme. An additional 6 lakh trees will be planted under this scheme by the time phase one starts, making the total number of trees planted more than the number that will be cut. The issue of the preservation and safety of local tribes is also a high priority. The project is mandated not to disturb them or their habitations, the article added. IANS
The flames of war in the Middle East have reignited despite best efforts to mediate a cease fire between Iran and the US. It seems that both the sides have put forth maximalist demands and the ceasefire agreement hammered out between the two sides after painstaking negotiations was so vague that both sides interpreted it in the manner best suited to them. Little wonder, war has resumed with uncertain consequences for the rest of the world, especially countries like India in this part of the world which depend on the Strait of Hormuz for their oil supplies.
Now more than the nuclear ambitions of Iran, it is the control over this vital waterway which has become the bone of contention. Iran says it will exclusively control the waterway and will charge a fee from ships passing through it. The US says that it will control the waterway and ensure that it is free to use by ships from around the world. The US President, briefly toyed with the idea of charging a fee for ensuring safety of ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz but has since backed down on this.
In the meantime, the US intensified its strikes on Iran, hitting targets farther north and firing into a ship the US accused of trying to break its naval blockade on the Islamic Republic. Iran retaliated by launching missiles and drones at US allies in the region, and warned its attacks may escalate.
The interim ceasefire agreed to last month has collapsed, and the region risks tipping back into all-out war after days of back-and-forth strikes by the U.S. and Iran as they wage for control over the Strait of Hormuz. For the first time in this latest round of violence, strikes also reached into areas around Tehran, showing a widening set of targets for the Americans.
The Iranian military has threatened that Iran could launch widespread attacks on “all the infrastructure in the region” if the US acts on President Donald Trump’s repeated warnings that America could hit Iranian bridges and power plants. Under no circumstances and in no way will Iran allow America… to interfere in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has also asked Houthis to stand ready to close the Red Sea oil route if the US strikes Iranian power infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Houthis warned they will target Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities and other infrastructure if conflict escalates between the two sides, days after the airport in the rebel-held capital Sanaa was struck. The US strikes have hit around Tehran. American attacks also targeted Semnan province, home to Iran’s ballistic missile production and space programme.
Iranian media also reported strikes around the provinces of Hamedan, Hormozgan, Khuzestan, Lorestan, Markazi, and Sistan and Baluchestan, as well as on Iran’s Qeshm island, near the Strait of Hormuz.. An attack on Greater Tunb Island targeted Iranian defense and missile sites. Greater Tunb Island is one of three small rocky islands that sit at the confluence of the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz — seized in 1971 by Iran from what would become the United Arab Emirates — and have become a garrison for Iran that help it exert significant control over the strait.
The Navy is set to add three more specialised submarine hunting helicopters, the MH-60R Seahawk, to its fleet.
US Helicopter maker Lockheed Martin has delivered one copter last week while two more are expected this week. Once the paperwork is done and the copters are validated, induction into the Navy shall follow over the next few days.
With the addition of these three copters, the Navy’s fleet of such specialised submarine hunting helicopters would be 21 strong. India had sourced 24 of these copters – produced by Lockheed Martin — for $2.6 billion, and the deliveries had commenced in 2021.
These copters replace the ageing British-origin Sea King helicopters.
At present, 15 Seahawks are deployed across Naval warships. Another three have been delivered to the Navy but are stationed in the US and used for ‘training’ of its pilots.
The three copters which the Lockheed Martin is delivering now would take the number to 21. Sources said the delivery of last batch of three copters remains.
US Ambassador to India, Sergio Gor posted on X: “Excellent news for growing US-India defence partnership! Great to see this advanced capability strengthening maritime security and our shared commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
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What does the Seahawk mean to the Navy
The Seahawk provides a fillip to the Navy’s integral air capability on warships and adds a greater punch to frontline platforms. The MH60R Seahawk, has world-class sensors, advanced avionics and potent weapons suite, that enhance Maritime Domain Awareness and enable rapid response across anti-submarine warfare, maritime strike, and search and rescue missions.
It has a glass cockpit with multi-function displays fully integrated with night vision goggles, missile approach warning system, laser rangefinder, decoy dispensers and infrared jammer, electronic support measures, a multi-mode radar with automatic radar periscope detection and discrimination capability.
The Seahawks have a crew of 3–4 people, with a capacity of five passengers in the cabin and a load carrying capability of around 3,000 kg. Having a top speed of 330 kmph and a range of 830 km, it can be armed with various types of torpedoes, air-to-surface missiles, machine guns and an airborne mine clearing system.
The MH-60Rs have been integrated with the indigenously made aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant. According to the Navy, it has been rigorously tested in Indian Reference Atmosphere (IRA) conditions and enhances India’s blue-water capabilities, extending the operational reach of the Navy and supporting sustained naval operations across spectrums and vast maritime domains.
SouthAsians & Diaspora
The Seahawk is a twin turboshaft engine, multi-mission maritime helicopter. It is similar to the Black Hawk variant used by the US Army, the difference being, the folding main rotor blades and a hinged tail for easier stowage onboard warships.
India-specific usage
In August 2024, the US approved an Indian order worth $52.8 million for three types of high-altitude anti-submarine warfare sonobuoys, that are expendable sensors for detecting and tracking submarines, and related equipment. The Indian Navy is acquiring over 500 sonobuoys for the MH-60R fleet.
In October 2024, the US further cleared the sale of 53 aircraft-launched MK-54 Lightweight Torpedo, that has a range of around 10 km, for the MH-60R along with associated equipment, support and training.
Last year, India signed with the US a sustainment support of Indian Navy’s fleet of MH-60R helicopters. This will be worth Rs 7,995 crore.
Having a sustainment programme for the copters is a comprehensive package which includes provisioning of spares, support equipment, product support, training and technical support, repair and replenishment of components and setting up of ‘intermediate’ level component repairs and periodic maintenance inspection facilities in India.
In-country development of these facilities will ensure capability build-up in the long run and reduced dependence on the US Government, thus aligning with the vision of self-reliant India, the Ministry of Defence said.
History of the copter
The MH-60 first entered US service in 1984. Development of the more advanced ‘R’ began in 1993, with the first flight being made in 1999 and deployment with the US Navy in 2006.
About 940 MH-60s have been built and it has also been widely exported with Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Greece, Israel, Japan, Norway, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Spain, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and the US operating different variants.
A few years ago, the Lockheed Martin had acquired Sikorsky Aircraft which made the helicopter. Based in Stratford, Connecticut, Sikorsky was established by the Russian aviation pioneer Igor Sikorsky in 1923, and was among the first companies to manufacture helicopters for civilian and military use.
India on Friday attended a meeting of border security chiefs of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in Islamabad, marking another instance of official engagement between New Delhi and Islamabad under a multilateral forum despite strained bilateral ties.
The 12th Meeting of the Heads of Border Services of the SCO Member States was hosted by Pakistan and attended by representatives of Belarus, China, India, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, along with officials of the SCO Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure (RATS).
It was not immediately clear at what level India was represented at the meeting. However, sources told The Tribune that a senior official from the Indian High Commission in Islamabad attended the event.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, participants exchanged assessments on the security situation along the international borders of SCO member states and discussed emerging challenges.
The meeting approved the results of the joint border operation ‘Solidarity-2025’ and endorsed the plan for conducting ‘Solidarity-2026’. Delegates also approved the 2027 work plan of the SCO Group of Experts on Border Services.
The participants backed Tajikistan’s proposal to host the ‘Solidarity-2027’ joint border operation and discussed the venue and timing of the next meeting of the heads of border services.
According to the Pakistani statement, the delegates agreed that greater coordination and common approaches to counter emerging cross-border threats would strengthen cooperation among SCO member states and enhance security and mutual trust along their borders.
The meeting concluded in what the host described as a “constructive and cordial atmosphere”.
The Supreme Court on Friday clarified that removal from electoral roll didn’t mean loss of citizenship as it agreed to examine the exclusion from welfare schemes of persons deleted from the list during Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal.
The SIR is currently underway in several parts of the country, including Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh.
A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant reiterated that deletion from the electoral roll after SIR exercise would not automatically result in the loss of citizenship status.
The Bench – which also included Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana — pointed out that it had made it clear in the Bihar SIR judgment that the ultimate authority to determine citizenship was not the Election Commission and that the removal from electoral rolls cannot, by itself, result in the deprivation of citizenship. “Our judgment (in the Bihar SIR case) is clear. The EC is not a constitutional authority with regard to (citizenship) status under Articles 9, 10 and 11… The EC has control over electoral rolls. It can decide not to include someone. However, that does not result in loss of status of citizenship per se,” Justice Bagchi said.
The Bench said, “We made it clear that EC has a corresponding duty that as soon as there is a decision (to exclude someone from electoral rolls), it (EC) has to refer to the Ministry (of Home) for adjudication under Citizenship Act. Unless that is done, status (as a citizen) must go on.”
The clarification came after senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan submitted on behalf of Prasenjit Bose, chairperson of the SIR Committee of West Bengal Pradesh Congress Committee, that 34 lakh appeals were still pending before the 19 appellate tribunals. Only around 38,000 appeals had been decided and 70 per cent of those were allowed, he said.
While most of the appeals were pending, the West Bengal Government has issued notifications excluding deleted voters from benefits under the Public Distribution System (PDS) and various welfare measures such as Annapurna Yojana, Sankaranarayanan submitted. “Even caste certificates are being denied to the excluded persons,” he added.
The petition sought Assembly constituency-wise data relating to the West Bengal Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, including the number of Forms 6 and 7 filed, admitted and rejected as well as details regarding the pendency and disposal of appeals before the appellate tribunals.
Asking the Election Commission, the West Bengal Government and the Chief Electoral Officer of the state to spell out their respective stand on Bose’s petition, the Bench posted the matter for further hearing on August 25.
The SIR exercise in West Bengal resulted in the exclusion of over 58 lakh electors during the enumeration phase. While 9.64 lakh applications for inclusion (Forms 6 and 6A) and over 99,000 applications for deletion (Form 7) were received during the claims and objections phase, only around 1.82 lakh additions were ultimately reflected in the final electoral roll published on February 28.
