Punjab outraged over YouTuber Dhruv Rathee's AI depiction of Sikh Gurus
Chandigarh: Prominent YouTuber
Dhruv Rathee
has come under fire from political leaders in Punjab for allegedly using artificial intelligence to depict
Sikh Gurus
in a video posted to his channel, prompting accusations of hurting religious sentiments and distorting history.
The video — titled 'The Sikh Warrior Who Terrified the Mughals' —was removed after drawing widespread backlash. The
Shiromani Akali Dal
(SAD) as well as Punjab's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) unit condemned the content, calling it a violation of Sikh religious principles and a misuse of technology for sensationalism.
Punjab BJP spokesperson Pritpal Singh Baliawal sent a formal complaint to information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to press for legal action under the Information Technology Act and other laws for "promoting enmity between communities".
He also requested that Rathee's accounts be suspended on YouTube, X (formerly Twitter), and Meta platforms until an investigation was complete.
Baliawal wrote: "This video recreated dramatised visuals of our revered Gurus, which is forbidden strictly under Sikh tenets as outlined by the Akal Takht. It distorts history, misleads viewers, and is offensive deeply to Sikhs globally." He has said that sacrificing religious sensitivity for digital popularity undermines national unity and the ethical responsibilities of online creators.
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SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal echoed the concerns in a post on X, calling the video disrespectful and full of historical inaccuracies. "These portrayals violate Sikh rehat maryada, which prohibits visual representations of Guru Sahiban, and have hurt the sentiments of the community deeply," he said. Sukhbir urged content creators to approach religious topics with reverence and accuracy, and demanded the permanent removal of the video.
Rathee had not commented publicly on the controversy at the time of writing.
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