The Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has directed YouTube to take down YouTuber Dhruv Rathee’s video titled “Can Hindus Eat Beef? | Kerala Story 2 Exposed” within 24 hours of receiving the order, after concluding that the content has the tendency to hurt the religious sentiments of a community.
The order, passed on 15 July 2026 in Appeal No. 8321/2026, was uploaded publicly on 19 July 2026.
The appeal was filed by advocate Amita Sachdeva, who sought the immediate blocking and removal of the video on the grounds that it offended religious sentiments.
According to the GAC order, the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, empower the Central Government-established Grievance Appellate Committee to issue directions to intermediaries, with such directions required to be complied with by the intermediary concerned.
The order records that Sachdeva’s appeal challenged Dhruv Rathee’s YouTube video, alleging that it contained deliberate and malicious statements insulting Bhagwan Shri Ram, Bhagwan Shri Krishna and the Pandavas. It further notes the allegation that the video falsely claimed that Shri Ram, Shri Krishna and the Pandavas consumed meat, including deer meat, and alcohol during their exile by relying on what the appellant described as selective and distorted references from the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
The GAC observed that the allegedly offending portions appeared at approximately the 4:27, 5:12 and 5:40 timestamps, where the video discusses meat consumption, alcohol and references to Sita Devi’s supposed vow. The committee stated that these statements were “patently false, mischievous and intentional.”
The order notes that YouTube acknowledged the appeal fell within the jurisdiction of the GAC. It also records that the appellant had first submitted a complaint to YouTube on 23 March 2026 seeking removal of the video. The platform sought additional information on the same day to evaluate the complaint and, after reviewing the additional material, informed the appellant on 25 March 2026 that it could not find sufficient grounds to remove the video.
According to the order, YouTube maintained during the appeal that it had reviewed the content and found no violation of its Community Guidelines or platform policies. The platform argued that it encourages free speech and protects users’ right to express unpopular opinions, while removing only content that violates its policies or amounts to hate speech. It further stated that if the appellant believed the content violated Indian law, she could obtain an order from a competent court directing its removal.
The GAC also recorded the video’s description, which described it as a commentary on a controversial film and posed questions such as “How many Hindus eat meat? Why is Beef such a sensitive topic?” It noted that the description stated the video explored history, scriptures, surveys and food practices to challenge popular assumptions.
After examining the content, the committee concluded that the video had the tendency to hurt the religious sentiments of a community and that such content did not augur well for society at large.
Rejecting YouTube’s reliance on free speech, the GAC observed that freedom of expression under Article 19(2) of the Constitution is subject to reasonable restrictions in matters involving religious sentiments. It further observed that Rule 3(1)(d) of the IT Rules, 2021, mandates intermediaries to exercise due diligence and remarked that it was surprising that the intermediary did not wish to undertake such due diligence.
The order also refers to the Delhi High Court’s order dated 3 July 2026 in W.P.(C) 8617/2026, in which the Court directed the appellate authority to decide Appeal No. 8321/2026 expeditiously, preferably within 15 days of receiving a copy of the order.
Based on its findings, the GAC concluded that the reported video may be taken down as it hurts religious sentiments, and directed that it be removed within 24 hours of receipt of the order. The committee accordingly disposed of Appeal No. 8321/2026.
Advocate Amita Sachdeva, who shared the order on social media, stated that the committee’s findings could also have a bearing on the proceedings before a magistrate’s court, where her petition seeking registration of an FIR against Dhruv Rathee is scheduled to be heard on 10 September 2026.
🚨 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
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