Delhi HC gives Centre's grievance committee 15 days to decide on removing Dhruv Rathee's video on Hindu gods eating meat

The Delhi High Court on Friday ordered the Central government's Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) to take a decision within 15 days on removing a YouTube video by Dhruv Rathee in which he allegedly said that Hindu gods Ram, Seeta and Krishna consumed meat and alcohol. .A GAC is a government-established body that allows users to appeal decisions made by social media platforms and other online intermediaries regarding complaints about online content or accountsJustice Swarana Kanta Sharma said that the GAC decision must be taken "under intimation to this court" and that "any disregard of this order will be taken note of seriously". .The Court passed the order on a plea filed by advocate Amita Sachdeva. In her plea, Sachdeva took offence to a video uploaded by Rathee on YouTube on March 21, 2026, titled 'Can Hindus Eat BEEF? | Kerala Story 2 EXPOSED'. She claimed that in the video, Rathee falsely stated that revered figures, including Ram, Seeta and Krishna, consumed meat and alcohol, thereby insulting Hindu beliefs and offending devotees.According to Sachdeva, the video is "highly derogatory, inflammatory and communally sensitive". She stressed that the video disclosed cognizable offences under Sections 196, 299 and 302 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. .Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma appeared for the Central government today and argued that the intermediary (YouTube) should have exercised due diligence, which includes taking down the content.Sharma said that the content uploaded by Rathee was harmful and fissiparous. "Either Google says they will do it [take down the video] now, or my ladyship may pass a judgement based on what the Division Bench has said... He [Google's counsel] should take it down and say he will not permit the such fissiparious content that hurts the sentiments of the majority community," Sharma added.Google's counsel pointed out that it had given its response to Sachdeva and she has already filed an appeal before the GAC. The Court then ordered the GAC to decide the appeal within 15 days. .Notably, Sachdeva has also filed a criminal complaint in respect of the video before the magistrate court, and the metropolitan magistrate has sought an action taken report from the police.In the criminal complaint, Sachdeva said that Rathee deliberately distorted Hindu scriptures, mocked the sanctity of Sanatan Dharma, and promoted communal disharmony by linking dietary practices to caste and politics.