E-Paper
After criticism, YouTuber takes down video on Sikh history
Dhruv Rathee posted an artificial intelligence-generated video featuring Guru Gobind Singh and his sons, drawing condemnation from Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, SGPC president Harjinder Singh Dhami and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal
YouTuber Dhruv Rathee removed his artificial intelligence-generated video featuring Guru Gobind Singh and the Sahibzade (sons of Tenth Guru) after receiving backlash from the Sikh community, including Akal Takht acting jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Harjinder Singh Dhami and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal, on Monday.
Earlier in the day, Giani Gargaj and Dhami, while asserting that Rathee’s move had hurt the sentiments of the Sikh community, asked him to take it down from his online accounts.
In a video message, Giani Gargaj said, “Depiction of Gurus, his family members and martyrs as moving characters is strictly prohibited in normal or animated movie. Secondly, Gurus’ history has been shown in poor light and historical facts have been distorted. Sikhs will never tolerate this act.”
The SGPC should approach the concerned ministry of Centre to resolve the issue of movies being made on Sikhs, he added.
Dhami urged the government to take the strictest possible action against the maker of the movie. “No film or animation depicting the Gurus or their families can be created as the SGPC has already passed resolutions imposing a complete ban on such portrayals. Aside from historical inaccuracies, the inclusion of AI-generated visuals depicting the Sikh Gurus in Dhruv Rathee’s video has hurt religious sentiments of Sikh community,” he said.
SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said the “lack of respectful language and misleading narratives” further aggravated the issue. He urged the content creators to exercise caution and sensitivity when producing material related to Guru Sahiban or Sikh history.
