Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has filed a complaint against him and sought a review of his YouTube account for “repeated offenses that hurt religious sentiments.”
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee has landed himself in trouble for a video titled ‘The Sikh Warrior Who Terrified the Mughals’, uploaded on Sunday. The video, intended to highlight the valor and legacy of a prominent Sikh historical figure, has drawn severe criticism from sections of the Sikh community who allege that the content misrepresented Sikh history and hurt religious sentiments.
Prominent Sikh groups, historians, and social media users expressed disappointment over the content of the video. Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) has filed a complaint against him and sought a review of his YouTube account for “repeated offenses that hurt religious sentiments.” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has asked Delhi police to register an FIR over the incident. Several organisations and individuals also took exception to the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the video.
One user wrote, “There are major flaws in the historical facts you have mentioned. On top of it all, the way you took the names of revered Sikh Gurus, sounds so disrespectful. Overall, it seems you created this video just to promote your AI course. And, let me tell you that the pictures and animation you have created using AI looks so lame (I myself run an AI SaaS company and can tell that this is a pathetic attempt at AI animation).”
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Video made private
In response to the uproar, Rathee quietly made the video private within 24 hours of its upload. He has not issued an official public apology or clarification as of this writing, which has further fueled frustration among some community members.
Several Sikh advocacy groups, including the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) and youth organisations, have called for more accountability from content creators discussing Sikh history.
In a statement, SGPC General Secretary Gurcharan Singh Grewal asserted that the Sikh community does not need AI-generated content to comprehend or preserve its rich history.
He further alleged that the video distorted key historical events, including the martyrdom of Guru Tegh Bahadur Ji and the enduring legacy of Baba Banda Singh Bahadur.
Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal strongly condemned the video, stating that such portrayals are in direct violation of the Sikh Rehat Maryada, which strictly forbids visual depictions of the Guru Sahiban. “It has caused deep emotional distress within the Sikh community. The use of disrespectful language and the spread of misleading narratives only worsen the matter,” he added.
“Let us encourage education and awareness with respect, making sure that no community's faith or beliefs are disregarded,” the former Deputy Chief Minister of Punjab added.