Indian elections: Dhruv Rathee, the YouTube sensation holding the government to account

In this week’s special edition of Access Asia, we focus on India as the country's record-breaking election gets under way. In the past few years, India's ranking in the World Press Freedom Index has plummeted. With the country’s independent media increasingly under threat, YouTube has become a key medium to fact-check trending topics. Twenty-nine-year-old Dhruv Rathee has been using the platform to fact-check issues and hold the Indian government to account. He spoke to FRANCE 24's Delano D'Souza.

[trythis.]

Our Election Commission is sleeping PM is begging vote For Temples and religion 😢

[babbu]

Who came after watching dhruv rathee reel on Instagram

[nisarvaliyadu]

Dhruv doing the job well 100% that the Indian media forgot to do. Indian medias nothing infront of him.

[remithpayyanur]

In which scheme are they giving 5000 euros to renovate houses? We are never heard of! People do not have shame to lie

[atheist]

Anyone speaks against modi, western media would suck up to him 😂

[Maverick-zokc]

Just loving this meltdown of western left liberals 😂😂

[Hariom_Sehra]

Dhruv got popularity bcz Godi media not giving correct information to country. People are kept in dark about many things.

[BlueWhite]

BJP only gets vote by playing religion card. SHAME ON THOSE HINDUS WHO GAVE VOTES FOR NOT FOR THE COUNTRY BUT FOR THE RELIGION.

[eespn]

Left radical communists supporting each other😂😂

[pravinjagtap]

He is currently showing truth and facts hidden by traditional media

[MindfulMediaHub]

800 million people now in india living on 5 kg free ration this is true picture of today's india

[Hariom_Sehra]

Now there are many channels who are making manipulated video with wrong information on Dhruv, as they don’t have guts to ask questions on Govt’s wrongdoing….

[trythis.]

Godi media Followers Giving Knowledge to Other media.

Indian Media 161th Rank
France 24th
😂😂😂

[Choot.vol.]

Looks like IT cell had already flooded this comment section.

[MateChangsan]

1st year the Cylinder was delivered free of cost, and the next year Gov Gas agency delivered at the cost of Rs 1269+ delivery charges.🤔😂

[maheenkannu]

80 crores people are dependent on free ration means, govt failed to uplift the people's life
...

[San-uxkf]

9:40 not even once he mentioned how punjab police(which is controlled by his favourable party) went to jammu just to arrest a youtuber who exposed a university in punjab which is run by one of his master's minister

[WeAreConsciousExplorer]

Andhbhakt can't digest dhruv 😂😂😂
Our Freedom fighter Dhruv 💪🇮🇳🕊️

[navjotkoretii]

I think France media is unaware of the conditions going in India.They should get fact first then do media cast

[solidorsharp]

I support a free press. Support citizens journalism.