Meta India apologises for CEO Zuckerberg's remark on India elections

New Delhi: Meta India issued an apology on Wednesday following remarks made by its CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, about the 2024 Indian General Elections. The company clarified that Zuckerberg’s statement was an "inadvertent error" and reaffirmed that India remains a vital market for Meta.

In a recent podcast with Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg suggested that during the COVID-19 pandemic, many incumbent governments worldwide, including India, lost public trust, leading to their defeat in the 2024 elections. This sparked backlash in India, where the comment was deemed inaccurate and irresponsible.

Taking to X, Meta India's Vice President Shivnath Thukral wrote: "Mark's observation that many incumbent parties were not re-elected in 2024 elections holds true for several countries, BUT not India. We would like to apologise for this inadvertent error. India remains an incredibly important country for Meta, and we look forward to being at the heart of its innovative future."

Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ashwini Vaishnaw criticised Zuckerberg's remarks, highlighting that India's 2024 elections were a reaffirmation of public trust in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, which secured a historic third term for the NDA government. Vaishnaw called the misinformation “disappointing” and urged Meta to ensure factual accuracy.

Nishikant Dubey, BJP MP and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, announced that the panel would issue a notice to Meta India for "spreading misinformation" and demand a formal apology.

“Misinformation in any democratic country tarnishes its image. Meta India will have to apologise to the Indian Parliament and the people for this mistake,” Dubey wrote on X.

With IANS inputs