DEHRADUN: The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple committee (BKTC) is planning to take action against YouTubers and vloggers in Badrinath, Dwaraka, Puri and Rameswaram, known as the Char Dham temples. The move comes after a vloggers’ video taking his Husky to the temple drew in harsh criticisms.

In the video, the vlogger is shown taking his dog to have its paws touch the Nandi statue near the Kedarnath shrine, as devotional song plays in the background. He then gets a priest to put a tilak on the dog before going to the shrine. The Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple committee said that numerous complaints are coming up against such vloggers. These people have no passion, they come here only to shoot reels and videos with Bollywood songs playing in the background, said a temple committee representative.

The incident is highly troubling and completely disrespectful to the sacredness of the Kedarnath temple, said Ajendra Ajay, president of Badrinath-Kedarnath Temple committee. “I have written to the Rudraprayag district administration in order to identify the man in the video and take immediate action against him. The priest community was also considering legislation to discourage such activities from being used as picnic spots. In fact, the BKTC issued an order last year that anyone shooting video or songs at the Badrinath or Kedarnath shrine, or any of the other 46 shrines under BKTC jurisdiction, must first seek permission, Ajay said.

According to a senior police officer, YouTubers and vloggers crowding the temples have often lead to problems in security arrangements. They stop in the middle of trek routes and shoot reels, interrupting the journey of other pilgrims, he said.