The Delhi High Court directed the Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) to block a YouTube video by Dhruv Rathee titled "Can Hindus Eat BEEF? | Kerala Story 2 EXPOSED" in India. Google confirmed it complied with the GAC’s order by geo-blocking the video in the country, as stated during court proceedings this week, according to medianama.com.
The case originated from a petition filed by advocate Amita Sachdeva, who argued that the video falsely claimed Hindu deities Ram, Seetha, and Krishna consumed meat and alcohol, labeling the content as "highly derogatory, inflammatory and communally sensitive." On July 3, 2026, the Delhi High Court had instructed the GAC to decide on the matter within 15 days, emphasizing that the GAC’s order should be treated as an imitation of the court’s directive.
The GAC’s role is to address grievances related to online content, and its orders carry legal weight in India’s digital regulation framework. This case highlights the increasing scrutiny of digital content deemed offensive or sensitive by petitioners and the judiciary’s active role in enforcing content removal or blocking. The blocking of Dhruv Rathee’s video follows similar actions taken against content flagged for communal sensitivity.
Google’s confirmation of compliance with the GAC order was made during submissions to the Delhi High Court, as reported by medianama.com. The video remains inaccessible in India without a VPN, displaying a notice citing a legal complaint from the government.