Dhruv Rathee, an Indian YouTuber and social media personality who discusses democracy, governmental accountability, freedom of expression, and the role of the public in a country has once again drawn much attention. Known to make videos about politics, public affairs, social matters, and current events, Dhruv has amassed millions of followers of various ages. His videos attract people who want to better understand specific issues of concern. In the interview with Red Mike, he talks about his experiences in India: coming to the country, participating in a protest, being put under police custody, and his perception of political, social, and public issues.
The conversation covers numerous topics, some of which are of particular interest. Dhruv talked about the reasons for participating in the protest in India, police behaviour, journalistic ethics, and how to maintain democracy. In addition, the topics of life in Germany and life in India, the position of the police, politicians, and journalists were raised.
Dhruv shared his experience of being put under police custody while asleep. According to him, people entered his room while he was sleeping, took his phones, and led him away while he was lying on the floor. He added that he expected to be put under police custody since he knew that the situation in the country required it and that the authorities could take any action. However, it was a sudden experience for him, and he was surprised by rough treatment. Furthermore, he shared that he had bruises, which he attributed to the rough handling by the police.
Dhruv stated that his experience of being put under police custody was different from the one he expected. He explained that when he arrived at the police station, the officers treated him professionally and gave him slippers to put on. In addition, he mentioned that an experienced police officer later apologised for the rough treatment.
While under police custody, Dhruv learned about the living conditions, difficulties, and problems of police officers. He shared that they work a lot, do not have much free time, and rarely see their families. He expressed great sympathy for them and said that they deserved special attention. He added that people should not judge every police officer by their uniform and believe that they are cruel, corrupt, and follow their own rules. Dhruv emphasised that they are people too with feelings and lives that should be treated with respect.
Dhruv Rathee expressed his thoughts on the concept and ideas of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar, especially on the topic of education, awareness, and organising. He told the officers that put him under police custody that he wanted them to learn about their rights so that they could collect collective guarantees and protect themselves. Moreover, he pointed out that not only the authorities but also ordinary people should care about their problems and difficulties. According to Dhruv, an individual should understand their needs, express their interests, and stand up for what is right instead of constantly appealing to authorities and waiting for them to take action.
The topic of the protest in India was also raised. The interviewer shared information he had received about thousands of people being put under police custody in Delhi and about thousands of protesters, journalists, lawyers, and activists being harassed. Dhruv admitted that he did not have an exact picture of what was going on while he was asleep. He stated that he relied on the newspaper because he could not use his phone while being put under police custody. Therefore, he did not have much information apart from the news.
The topic of criticism of the public was also raised. People criticise him for being in Germany and comment on Indian affairs from there. They say that he should be in India commenting not from outside but from within. Dhruv replied that he was ready for everything, even for being put under police custody, but that the situation was not as bad as it appeared. Furthermore, he said that life had changed for him, and he no longer feared such things as he used to.
Dhruv expressed his thoughts on the topic of foreign agents. He denied all rumours about funding from abroad, stating that no one would fund him since no one liked him. At the same time, he mentioned that the accusations against him were foolish, and he considered them not worth discussion. However, he expressed great concern and anger about criticism of his work and about allegations of him being paid by foreign agents. The topics of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Salman Khan’s film Battle of Galwan, press briefings, and the accountability of people holding office and elected officials were also raised. Dhruv expressed his strong opposition to many things and said that these people should be accountable for their actions and give answers to unpleasant questions.
Dhruv gave his comments on the occasion of press briefings, especially on the occasion of the fact that journalists sign their questions in advance and do not have the opportunity to ask them immediately. He said that they should have the opportunity to ask questions, and a representative of the system should give answers. According to him, this was a basic requirement for conducting a press briefing. Furthermore, he expressed his position on democratic rights, especially on the occasion of disagreements with authorities and criticism of their actions. He expressed concern about the fact that authorities do not want to answer any questions.
Dhruv expressed his thoughts on the role of Bollywood stars, politicians, and other public figures, stating that many of them have platforms, resources, money, and influence. He pointed out that they could use their popularity for good and that the public needed them. He mentioned stars who raised their voices on social and public issues and urged everyone to reflect on what they could do to help society. According to Dhruv, it was a responsibility of everyone not to hide behind their status, wealth, and influence, and to strive to make life better for other people rather than pursuing personal interests. Moreover, he said that comfort, reputation, and the image should not be more important than the well-being, safety, and quality of life of the people. He emphasised that the development, prosperity, and harmony of the country, cities, and public places should be a priority and should be supported by everyone.
On the other hand, Dhruv expressed his position on the occasion of disagreements on political and public issues. He pointed out that people did not have to like each other, follow the same parties, or support the same actions. However, they did have to care about public issues, especially about those that were urgent, and unite to solve them instead of criticizing each other. According to him, it did not matter which party won the elections or who held the office because it did not change the problems that had to be solved. Heized that no one was perfect, and every politician, regardless of their party, had weaknesses. However, this did not mean that people should support the worst candidate only because they did not like the other ones.
The issue of life in Germany was also raised. Dhruv said that people there complained about everything. He meant that systems in Germany worked reasonably well; nevertheless, people complained about minor inconveniences. According to him, it was this dissatisfaction that prompted authorities to make changes so that everything would be as comfortable as possible for people. He pointed out that not only big issues but also small ones should be discussed.
Dhruv expressed concern about his responsibility as a public figure. He said that many people, including children, watched his videos. Therefore, he felt responsible for his words and double-checked the accuracy of the information he provided. He admitted that mistakes were inevitable and that he relied on checks and balances since several people verified his videos and facts before they were published. Moreover, he mentioned a website with corrections of his statements and emphasised that mistakes had to be acknowledged.
In conclusion, the interview with Dhruv Rathee covered many topics beyond the controversy surrounding him. It also featured topics of freedom of speech, democracy, the position of the police, journalists, and politicians, public criticism, and responsibility. Dhruv expressed his views on many things, and various allegations against him remained unproven. Nevertheless, the conversation was fruitful in that it showed what an ordinary person could do to improve society and what responsibilities they had. As stated by Dhruv, one did not have to be a public figure or a politician with millions of followers to care about and help people. It was enough to start with small things, such as drawing attention to a problem in the locality and finding ways to solve it. People could discuss public issues with friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors. They could also educate themselves and formulates opinions so that they would be prepared to share them with others. Moreover, they could unite to support real changers and vote for them so that at least some of the country’s problems would be solved.