Mark Zuckerberg’s Statement on India Sparks Controversy
January 2025: A statement by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg on the Joe Rogan Podcast has sparked a political controversy in India. Zuckerberg falsely claimed that India’s ruling government lost the 2024 elections due to its handling of COVID-19, prompting a strong rebuttal from Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
Key Developments:
- Zuckerberg’s Claim: On January 10, 2025, Zuckerberg stated that most incumbent governments, including India’s, were defeated in the 2024 elections following the pandemic.
- Minister’s Response: Minister Vaishnaw refuted this, highlighting that the NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi retained power with over 640 million voters’ support.
- Parliamentary Action: On January 13, the Parliamentary IT Committee, led by Nishikant Dubey, summoned Meta for clarification.
- Meta’s Apology: On January 14, Meta India VP Shivnath Thukral issued an apology, acknowledging the mistake and reaffirming India’s importance to Meta.
This incident underscores the importance of accuracy in statements about global democracies.
