YouTube has restricted access to a 45-minute documentary aired by Canada's Government-funded broadcaster CBC, focusing on the killing of pro-Khalistan figure Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British Columbia, on June 18 last year. The program, titled "The Fifth Estate," included an extensive interview with Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the general counsel for the separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ).
According to CBC, YouTube notified them of an order from India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to block access to the video within India, resulting in its unavailability in the country while remaining accessible elsewhere globally. Additionally, the Indian government reportedly requested X (formerly Twitter) to block access to the content on its platform within India, citing Indian law as the basis for their request.
Expressing their disagreement with the action taken, CBC emphasised the importance of freedom of expression and stated their ongoing communication with Indian authorities to address the matter through the legal process.
Despite reaching out to India’s High Commission in Ottawa for participation in the program, CBC did not receive a response. While India’s High Commissioner to Ottawa, Sanjay Kumar Verma, has engaged with several Canadian networks, CBC was notably absent from those interactions.
A CBC spokesperson defended the documentary, titled "Contract to Kill," asserting that it underwent thorough research, scrutiny by senior editorial leaders, and adhered to journalistic standards typical of all stories on "The Fifth Estate."
Criticism of the program came from some members of the Indo-Canadian community, including Maninder Singh Gill, MD of Surrey-based Radio India. In a letter to CBC president Catherine Tait, Gill labelled the documentary "biassed" and "propaganda," questioning its portrayal of the Khalistan movement and its historical context.
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