Parliamentary Panel to Summon Meta Over Mark Zuckerberg’s Remark on India Elections
India summons Meta over Mark Zuckerberg's claim of NDA loss in 2024 elections, sparks controversy
Meta faces scrutiny after Zuckerberg’s controversial remarks on India’s 2024 elections spark backlash
The Parliamentary Committee on Communications and Information Technology, headed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, has decided to summon Meta over CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s recent remarks about India’s 2024 elections. Dubey took issue with Zuckerberg’s statement that India’s incumbent government lost the 2024 election due to its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“My committee will summon Meta for spreading misinformation. Such false claims damage the image of a democratic country,” Dubey wrote on X, calling for an apology to the Indian Parliament and its people.
Zuckerberg’s Controversial Statement
In a podcast, Zuckerberg spoke about global political trends post-COVID, claiming a decline in public trust in governments. He said, “2024 was a big election year globally. In countries like India, incumbents lost due to how they handled COVID, inflation, and economic policies. This breakdown in trust wasn’t just an American phenomenon; it was global.”
Union Minister Refutes Zuckerberg’s Claims
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw strongly criticized Zuckerberg for his factually incorrect comments. He highlighted India’s successful handling of the pandemic and emphasized that the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi won a decisive third term in 2024.
According to Vaishnaw on X, “India, the largest democracy in the world, held elections in 2024 with over 640 million voters, reaffirming their trust in PM Modi’s leadership.” He also highlighted significant accomplishments during the pandemic, such as the distribution of free meals to 800 million people, the distribution of 2.2 billion free doses of vaccines, and assistance to neighbouring nations.
Vaishnaw further called on Zuckerberg and Meta to uphold factual accuracy and credibility. “It’s disappointing to see misinformation from Mr. Zuckerberg himself. India’s strong pandemic response and economic growth led to public trust in the government.”
Meta Under Scrutiny
This incident has intensified scrutiny of Meta and its role in spreading misinformation. The Parliamentary Committee’s decision to summon Meta reflects the Indian government’s firm stance on ensuring accountability from global tech platforms.
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