On July 3, 2026, the Delhi High Court directed the Centre’s Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) to decide within 15 days on a plea seeking removal of Dhruv Rathee’s controversial YouTube video that allegedly makes derogatory claims about Lord Ram, Sita, and Lord Krishna. The court warned that any disregard of its order would be taken “sternly.”
Case Background
Video in Question: Dhruv Rathee’s March 21, 2026 upload titled “Can Hindus Eat Beef? | Kerala Story 2 Exposed”.
Contentious Claims: The video allegedly states that Hindu deities including Lord Ram, Sita, and Krishna consumed meat and alcohol, citing selective references from scriptures.
Petitioner: Advocate Amita Sachdeva, who argued the video is false, misleading, and communally sensitive, hurting Hindu religious sentiments.
Court’s Directions
Deadline: The GAC must decide the pending appeal within 15 days of receiving the order.
Warning: Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma stated that any disregard of the timeline will be viewed sternly.
Next Steps: If the petitioner remains aggrieved after the GAC’s decision, she can file a fresh petition.
Government & Platform Responses
Centre’s Stand: Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma argued that intermediaries like YouTube are legally obliged to exercise due diligence and remove harmful content.
Google/YouTube’s Position: Counsel for Google LLC said the company had responded to the petitioner’s grievance and would comply with any judicial order.
Procedural Timeline
March 21, 2026: Video uploaded on YouTube.
March 22–27, 2026: Complaints filed with Delhi Police cyber cell, YouTube’s grievance officer, and later an appeal before the GAC.
May–June 2026: Appeal remained undecided beyond the statutory 30-day mandate.
July 3, 2026: Delhi HC intervenes, setting a 15-day deadline.
Why This Matters
Legal Precedent: Reinforces accountability of intermediaries under IT Rules.
Religious Sensitivity: Highlights the judiciary’s role in balancing free speech with protection of religious sentiments.
Digital Regulation: Demonstrates the growing importance of the GAC in moderating online content disputes.
The Delhi High Court’s order places the onus on the Centre’s Grievance Appellate Committee to act swiftly on Dhruv Rathee’s video controversy. The outcome will be a significant test of India’s digital content regulation framework and could set precedent for how sensitive religious issues are handled on social media platforms.
