The Delhi High Court has mandated the Central Government’s Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) to make a determination within 15 days regarding the removal of a controversial YouTube video by Dhruv Rathee. The video in question involves claims about Hindu deities such as Ram, Seeta, and Krishna consuming meat and alcohol, a portrayal deemed offensive by some.
Grievance Appellate Committee’s Role
The GAC is a governmental entity tasked with handling appeals related to decisions by social media platforms and other online intermediaries concerning contested online content. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma of the Delhi High Court emphasized the urgency of the GAC’s decision, stating it should be made “under intimation to this court” and highlighted that non-compliance would be taken seriously.
Petitioner’s Claims and Allegations
The court’s directive came in response to a plea by advocate Amita Sachdeva, who objected to Rathee’s YouTube video titled ‘Can Hindus Eat BEEF? | Kerala Story 2 EXPOSED’, uploaded on March 21, 2026. Sachdeva argued that the video inaccurately depicted revered figures of Hinduism, in a way that could insult Hindu beliefs and offend the faithful. Furthermore, she described the content as “highly derogatory, inflammatory and communally sensitive,” suggesting it violated Sections 196, 299, and 302 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Government’s Position and Legal Proceedings
Appearing for the Central Government, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma contended that YouTube, as an intermediary, should have exercised due diligence by removing the contentious content. He pointed out the potential harm and divisiveness of the video, urging Google to promptly take it down to prevent further injury to the sentiments of the majority community.
Google’s representation noted that they had already responded to Sachdeva, who subsequently filed an appeal with the GAC. Following this, the Court instructed the GAC to resolve the appeal within a 15-day timeframe.
More Read
Additional Legal Actions
The situation is further complicated by a criminal complaint filed by Sachdeva regarding the video. The magistrate court has requested an action-taken report from the police. In her complaint, Sachdeva accused Rathee of deliberately misrepresenting Hindu texts, mocking the sanctity of Sanatan Dharma, and inciting communal discord by associating dietary habits with caste and political issues.
