Chennai: A popular YouTuber has landed in trouble for sharing the gender of his unborn child on social media after getting sex determination test overseas. In a series of videos, Chennai-based Irfan shared that he and his wife travelled to Dubai to get a gender determination test.
The food vlogger, who has 4.29 million followers on YouTube, revealed the child's gender in one of the videos. Along with footage of the examination, he revealed what the doctor had told them.
The gender reveal video received nearly 2 million views, while the Dubai trip vlog garnered over 1 million views.
Revealing the gender of an unborn child is illegal in India and punishable under the PCPNDT Act (Pre Conception & Pre Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act). The Act is aimed at preventing gender-based abortions and ensuring the safety and rights of unborn children. It was enacted in 1994 to prevent female foeticide and address the declining sex ratio in India.
The Tamil Nadu Health Department has issued a notice to him under the act.
The statement from the Health Department says Irfan also posted videos of a family event in which the foetus' gender was revealed.
"In a bid to take legal action, the enforcement officer has sent a notice to Mr Irfan. Actions like this could lead to decline in birth of girl babies not just in Tamil Nadu but across the country," the statement said.
The health department has also written to the Cyber wing of the police to remove the video.
The YouTuber said that he has taken down the video and will reply to the notice once he receives it.
While the announcement of the couple was met with congratulations from many, it also sparked criticism, with some suggesting it could inadvertently promote the practice of traveling abroad to determine the sex of a baby. Others went further, alleging that it might be a calculated move aimed at boosting subscribers, views, and profits.
Over the years, stringent measures against unauthorized ultrasound centers have significantly curbed this practice, leading to a noticeable improvement in India's sex ratio. According to data presented by the Union Health Minister in Parliament last year, the sex ratio, which stood at 876 female babies per 1000 male babies in 2005, has risen to 907 between 2018 and 2020. States like Haryana, Rajasthan, and Tamil Nadu have been commended for their proactive measures. Notably, Tamil Nadu has seen a remarkable improvement in its sex ratio, climbing from 918 in 2015 to 942 in 2019.