Delhi HC tells Centre to decide within 15 days on removing Dhruv Rathee's video on Hindu deities

The Delhi High Court on Friday directed the Union government’s Grievance Appellate Committee to decide within 15 days an appeal seeking the removal of a video by YouTuber Dhruv Rathee, in which he claimed that Hindu gods consumed meat, reported Bar and Bench.

The Grievance Appellate Committee deals with the appeals of users against social media intermediaries regarding complaints about online content.

The court’s direction on Friday came on an appeal filed by lawyer Amita Sachdeva about a video Rathee uploaded on YouTube on March 21.

In the video, Rathee discussed dietary habits in Hindu scriptures. He claimed that texts have mentioned that deities like Ram and Krishna consumed meat and alcohol.

Sachdeva alleged that the video is derogatory, inflammatory and communally sensitive, reported Live Law.

Appearing for the Union government, Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma told the court that YouTube should have taken down the video.

“Either Google [the parent company of YouTube] says they will do it now, or my ladyship may pass a judgement based on what the division bench has said,” said Sharma, referring to an order that held that the social media intermediary should check if any content is harmful and block it.

Sharma added: “He [Google’s counsel] should take it down and say he will not permit such fissiparous content that hurts the sentiments of the...

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