Youtube must take down unauthorised videos of bathing Hindu females in Ganga Ghats.

Aggrieved by the inaction of Youtube, Advocate Amita Sachdeva approached the Grievance Appellate Committee for action to remove bathing videos of Hindu females in Ganga Ghats.

Upendra Bharti | HENB | New Delhi | Aug 22, 2024:: In response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed regarding unauthorized videos showcasing Hindu women and minor girls in a demeaning light while bathing at the sacred Ghats of the Ganga during religious rites, the Delhi High Court directed adherence to the mechanism outlined in the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. Following the court’s directive, Advocate Amita Sachdeva approached the Grievance Appellate Committee after receiving no response from YouTube-Google India’s Grievance Officer.

Advocate Amita Sachdeva has been an active lawyer for the rights of women and girls, tirelessly working to prevent illegal photography and videography of bathing women and girls at the sacred ghats of Ganga in Haridwar. She has actively raised her voice and pursued the matter through various channels, including: National Commission for Women,  Uttarakhand State Commission for Women and the  Court of law.

Her efforts aim to protect the dignity and privacy of women and girls in these sacred spaces.

Thanks to Advocate Sachdeva’s unwavering efforts, the police have installed warning boards at Haridwar’s Ganga Ghats to deter the video recording and photography of bathing women. However, despite this progress, YouTube authorities have yet to remove such objectionable content from their platform, prompting further action to ensure the protection of women’s privacy and dignity.

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Taking her X handle, Adv. Sachdeva conveyed: “In compliance with the Court’s Order, on 02.08.2024, I submitted a formal request to YouTube’s Grievance Officer, seeking the removal of these unauthorized videos and the permanent suspension of the YouTube channels responsible for posting them. According to the guidelines, the Grievance Officer is required to take action within 15 days. Regrettably, despite the lapse of 15 days, no action has been taken. As the next step, I have today, 22.08.2024, filed an appeal with the Grievance Appellate Committee, which is mandated to resolve the matter within 30 days. I will wait till the 30-day period to elapse, and if the Grievance Appellate Committee does not resolve the issue satisfactorily, I will pursue further action.”

It is unfortunate that the Youtube-Google authorities is not taking proper care to maintain the dignity of Hindu girls and women by taking down all unauthorised bathing photographs and videos  taken in Haridwar Ganga Ghats and already uploaded in Youtube.

Endorsing the demand of Adv. Sachdeva, Hindu interlocutor Upananda Brahmachari has also appealed to Youtube-Google  to remove such illegal bathing videos and pictures of Hindu females in Haridwar Ganga Ghats.
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__Inputs from Agencies.