SHILLONG, July 13: The Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC) has filed a complaint with Lumdiengjri police station seeking registration of FIRs against astrologer Sushil Guru and YouTuber Raghav Sharma for allegedly making defamatory statements against Meghalaya’s tribal communities.
The complaint is based on a video on YouTube channel @Supertalks where the astrologer claimed that Meghalaya tribals still practice human sacrifice and cannibalism.
According to the complaint submitted by advocate and HYC education secretary, Enlang Sawian, the statements are baseless, derogatory, and represent a deliberate attempt to vilify the indigenous tribal communities of the state.
Sawian maintained that such content not only distorts the cultural identity of the people but also has the potential to incite communal discord and disturb public peace.
The complaint further points to a violation of Section 196 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, which deals with the promotion of enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, or language. Sawian asserted that the video and accompanying article generalise and dehumanise entire communities through malicious and irresponsible content.
Calling for immediate legal action, Sawian has urged the police to register a case and proceed against both individuals under relevant sections of the law.
The HYC stated that such acts cannot be allowed to go unchecked, especially when targeting vulnerable communities and propagating harmful stereotypes.
The police are yet to issue an official statement regarding the status of the complaint.
