Google Informs Delhi HC: Dhruv Rathee Video Withheld After Centre's Order

The Delhi High Court was informed on Tuesday that Dhruv Rathee's YouTube video - in which he allegedly said that Hindu gods Ram, Seeta and Krishna consumed meat and alcohol - has been withheld in India. Google's counsel told Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma that the step was taken after the government's Grievance Appellate Committee (GAC) passed the order.A GAC is a government-established body that allows users to appeal decisions made by social media platforms and other online intermediaries regarding complaints about online content or accounts.The GAC order came after Justice Sharma asked the government to decide Advocate Amita Sachdeva's plea flagging the content in 15 days.Justice Swarana Kanta SharmaSachdeva today told the Court that the video can still be viewed outside India and in the country using a VPN. She then asked for an order to remove the video globally.However, Google's counsel said that the issue of global removal of content is pending before the Division Bench of the High Court.Sachdeva also told the Bench that some other YouTubers have also uploaded Rathee's video and asked for permission to approach Google with those videos so that they can also be removed.Google opposed the request, stating that it would give rise to a separate cause of action and that a separate plea should be filed for the same.Meanwhile, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma, appearing for the government, stated that once a video has been objected to and it is nobody