Popular YouTuber Faces Legal Trouble For Revealing Unborn Child’s Gender

Chennai: Popular Chennai-based food vlogger on YouTube, Irfan, who has over 4 million subscribers, is in hot water after revealing the gender of his unborn child in a video.

Irfan and his wife travelled to Dubai for a gender determination test, which is illegal in India under the Pre-Conception & Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act (PCPNDT Act). This Act, enacted in 1994, aims to prevent gender-based abortions and ensure the protection of unborn children, addressing the country’s declining sex ratio.

In a series of videos, including a Dubai trip vlog and a gender reveal video with nearly 3 million combined views, Irfan shared footage of the examination and the doctor’s disclosure. This sparked controversy and criticism, with some alleging it could encourage others to seek gender determination tests abroad and potentially impact India’s sex ratio.

The Tamil Nadu Health Department issued a notice to Irfan under the PCPNDT Act, warning that such actions could negatively influence the birth rate of girl babies across India. They have also requested the Cyber wing of the police to remove the video.

Irfan stated he has taken down the video and will respond to the notice upon receiving it. According to government data, the sex ratio has risen from 876 female babies per 1000 male babies in 2005 to 907 between 2018 and 2020. States like Haryana, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu have been commended for their proactive measures, with Tamil Nadu witnessing a notable increase in its sex ratio from 918 in 2015 to 942 in 2019.