Social media giant Meta is expected to receive a summons from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communication and Information Technology following CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s controversial comments on the 2024 Indian general election. The move was announced by BJP MP and committee chairman Nishikant Dubey, who accused Meta of spreading misinformation.
“Misinformation about a democratic country tarnishes its global image. Meta must apologise to the Parliament and the people for this mistake,” Dubey stated on X (formerly Twitter).
During a January 10 podcast, Zuckerberg discussed the global political climate post-Covid. Referring to 2024 as a pivotal election year worldwide, he claimed, “India had elections, and incumbents basically lost in every single one. There seems to be a global phenomenon whether due to inflation, Covid economic policies, or governments’ handling of the pandemic.”
However, this claim was factually incorrect regarding India, where the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured a third term in power, albeit with some setbacks for the BJP.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw promptly refuted Zuckerberg’s assertion on X.
“India’s 2024 elections, with over 640 million voters, reaffirmed public trust in the NDA under PM Modi’s leadership,” Vaishnaw noted. He highlighted Modi’s governance during the pandemic, citing free food distribution for 800 million people, 2.2 billion free vaccines, and India’s emergence as the fastest-growing major economy.
The minister added, “Meta, it’s disappointing to see misinformation from Mr. Zuckerberg himself. Let’s uphold facts and credibility.”
While the BJP faced challenges and fell short of a majority, the NDA comfortably crossed the majority mark with support from key allies. Meanwhile, a united Opposition led by the Congress made notable gains but failed to secure a majority. Modi’s third consecutive term solidified his position as the second Indian Prime Minister, after Jawaharlal Nehru, to achieve this milestone.
Meta is expected to be summoned before the Parliamentary Standing Committee to address the allegations of spreading misinformation. As one of the world’s largest democracies, India has emphasized the importance of accurate information in maintaining its democratic integrity.
