Delhi High Court gives panel 15 days to decide on plea against Dhruv Rathee's video

The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre's Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) to decide within 15 days on an appeal seeking the removal of YouTuber Dhruv Rathee's video that allegedly claims Lord Ram, Sita, and Lord Krishna consumed meat and alcohol. The court said any delay in deciding the matter would be viewed seriously.

The petition was filed after the complainant challenged YouTube's handling of the content, arguing that the video hurts the religious sentiments of Hindus. During the hearing, the Centre submitted that digital platforms must act responsibly and follow due diligence while dealing with such complaints.

Google, which owns YouTube, informed the court that it would comply with any order issued by the competent authority.

The High Court did not order the immediate removal of the video. Instead, it asked the GAC, which functions under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), to take a reasoned decision within the stipulated time. The case has sparked debate over online content moderation, freedom of expression, and the responsibilities of social media platforms in handling content that may offend religious sentiments.