Tuesday, 20 May 2025
Tuesday, 20 May 2025
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has come under fire over a controversial video that allegedly hurt Sikh religious sentiments.
On Monday, he took down the AI-generated video titled "The Sikh Warrior Who Terrified the Mughals" following objections from prominent Sikh institutions including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and the Akal Takht.
Many viewers found Rathee’s use of animation to represent Sikh gurus in human form offensive. “I condemn the AI-based video made by Dhruv Rathee. This video should be removed immediately. The SGPC should also contact the ministry concerned and have it taken down,” said Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, acting jathedar of the Akal Takht.
Following the backlash, Rathee took to Instagram to share his stance on the issue. “Thank you for your feedback on the latest video. Even though many of you appreciated the video and would like it to stay on the channel, I have decided to remove it because some viewers feel strongly that any animated depiction of the Sikh Gurus conflicts with their belief,” he wrote.
“I do not want this to become a political or religious controversy, because the video was simply an effort to showcase the stories of our Indian heroes in a new educational format,” he added.
SAD chief Sukhbir Singh Badal strongly condemned the video "for its inappropriate use of AI-generated visuals depicting our Guru Sahiban besides historical inaccuracies."
"Such portrayals violate Sikh rehat maryada which prohibits visual representations of Guru Sahiban and have deeply hurt the sentiments of the community. The lack of respectful language and misleading narratives further aggravates this issue," he added.
Delhi cabinet minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa has also denounced the video. “Showing Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the embodiment of courage and divinity, crying as a child is an insult to the very spirit of Sikhism, which stands for fearlessness, resilience and Chardi Kala,” he said in a post on X.
The Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Cell, demanding action against Dhruv Rathee and a review of his YouTube channel.
