NEW DELHI: The Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has directed YouTube to remove YouTuber Dhruv Rathee’s controversial video titled “Can Hindus Eat Beef? | Kerala Story 2 Exposed”, holding that the content has the potential to hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community.
The order, dated July 15, 2026, in Appeal No. 8321/2026, was uploaded on July 19 and directs YouTube to take down the video within 24 hours of receiving the order.
🚨 BREAKING: Government of India Orders Immediate Takedown of Dhruv Rathee’s (@dhruv_rathee) Video.
The Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC), Ministry of Electronics & IT, Government of India, has passed an Order dated 15 July 2026 (Appeal No. 8321/2026) directing YouTube to… pic.twitter.com/hP4rpGmLVC
— Amita Sachdeva, Advocate (@SachdevaAmita) July 19, 2026
The decision comes after the Delhi High Court, on July 3, 2026, directed the appellate authority to dispose of the pending appeal within 15 days. In its detailed order, the GAC rejected YouTube’s reliance on freedom of expression to justify retaining the video.
The Committee observed that while Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution guarantees freedom of speech and expression, the right is subject to reasonable restrictions under Article 19(2), particularly where public order and religious harmony are concerned.
After examining the content, the Committee concluded that the video had the potential to hurt the religious sentiments of a community**, making its continued availability undesirable from the perspective of maintaining societal harmony.
The GAC also referred to Rule 3(1)(d) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which places a due diligence obligation on intermediaries such as YouTube.
Expressing surprise at the platform’s position, the Committee noted that YouTube had declined to act despite being informed of the complaint and instead insisted on a court order before taking any action.
The 21-minute video, uploaded on March 21, 2026, attracted millions of views and more than four lakh likes.
Presented as a critique of The Kerala Story 2, the video discussed food practices among Hindus, cultural traditions and beef consumption. During the course of the video, Rathee cited ancient scriptures to claim that Bhagwan Shri Ram, Bhagwan Shri Krishna, the Pandavas and other figures from Hindu epics consumed meat, including deer meat, and alcohol.
The complaint alleged that these references were selective, distorted and presented in a manner that mocked Hindu beliefs and traditions.
It further objected to Rathee’s remarks regarding sattvic food associated with Hindu deities and references made to Sita Devi, arguing that the video deliberately misrepresented sacred texts while ridiculing deeply held religious beliefs.
The proceedings originated after Advocate Amita Sachdeva approached the Cyber Crime Cell in New Delhi on March 22, 2026, seeking action against the video. The following day, she filed a complaint before YouTube’s Resident Grievance Officer, alleging that the content distorted passages from the Ramayana and Mahabharata to falsely portray Hindu deities and revered figures.
On March 25, YouTube rejected the complaint, stating that the video did not violate either Indian law or its Community Guidelines.
The platform defended its decision by citing its commitment to freedom of expression, adding that users who believed the content violated Indian law could seek judicial remedies.
Unsatisfied with the response, Sachdeva filed an appeal before the Grievance Appellate Committee on March 27. When the appeal remained pending for more than two months, she approached the Delhi High Court, which subsequently directed the GAC to decide the matter expeditiously. In its final findings, the GAC held that the content had the tendency to hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community.
According to the Committee, such material does not promote societal harmony and therefore falls within the scope of reasonable restrictions permitted under the Constitution.
Accordingly, the GAC directed YouTube to remove the video within 24 hours of receiving the order.
Apart from the takedown order, criminal proceedings initiated by Advocate Sachdeva are also continuing. Her petition seeking registration of an FIR against Dhruv Rathee is pending before a Magistrate’s Court in Saket, with the next hearing scheduled for September 10, 2026.
The GAC’s observations that the impugned content hurts religious sentiments are expected to form part of the material before the court during the ongoing proceedings.
Reacting to the order, Sachdeva described it as an important step towards ensuring accountability for online content targeting religious beliefs. Sharing the development, she stated that faith cannot be mocked under the guise of content creation, adding that justice was being delivered “step by step.”
