"Mark Zuckerberg’s claim on Indian election results sparks controversy; BJP demands an apology for spreading misinformation."
January 14, 2025: Social media giant Meta is facing a summons from India's Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communication and Information Technology following remarks by its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, regarding the 2024 Indian general elections. Nishikant Dubey, BJP MP and chairman of the committee, announced the decision, citing concerns over misinformation and its potential impact on India's democratic image.
Zuckerberg, during a podcast with Joe Rogan on January 10, commented on the erosion of trust in incumbent governments worldwide due to the Covid pandemic. He incorrectly stated that "2024 was a very big election year around the world and all these countries, India, had elections. The incumbents basically lost every single one."
Reacting sharply, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw fact-checked Zuckerberg's remarks. "As the world's largest democracy, India conducted the 2024 elections with over 640 million voters. People of India reaffirmed their trust in NDA led by PM Modi's leadership," Vaishnaw stated in a post on X.
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The BJP minister further highlighted key achievements of the Modi government, including the provision of free food to 800 million people, the administration of 2.2 billion free vaccines, and aid provided to other nations during the pandemic. "PM Modi’s decisive 3rd-term victory is a testament to good governance and public trust. Meta, it’s disappointing to see misinformation from Mr. Zuckerberg himself," Vaishnaw added.
Nishikant Dubey emphasized that spreading misinformation maligns the image of a democratic country. “The organization would have to apologize to the Parliament and the people here for this mistake,” he said.
The 2024 elections saw the ruling BJP fall short of a full majority but secure the government through its NDA allies. The party retained power under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, marking his third consecutive term—a feat only achieved by Jawaharlal Nehru previously.
Zuckerberg’s remarks have drawn widespread criticism, with calls for Meta to uphold factual integrity and credibility in its global communications.
Tags:
Meta, Mark Zuckerberg, Indian elections 2024, Lok Sabha elections, misinformation, BJP, Ashwini Vaishnaw, Nishikant Dubey, Modi government, Joe Rogan podcast, Covid pandemic.
