Meta India Responds: CEO Zuckerberg’s Controversial Election Comment Called ‘Inadvertent Error’ — Here’s What You Need to Know

On January 15, 2025, Meta India issued an apology after CEO Mark Zuckerberg made comments during a podcast suggesting that the current Indian government lost power in the 2024 elections. The company called it an “inadvertent error.”

Shivnath Thukral, Vice President of Meta India, took to X (formerly Twitter) to clarify. He wrote to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, stating, “Mark’s observation regarding many incumbent parties not being re-elected in 2024 is accurate for various countries, but not for India. We apologize for this mistake. India is a crucial market for Meta, and we are committed to its future.”

Vaishnaw had previously responded to Zuckerberg’s remarks on the Joe Rogan podcast, calling them “factually incorrect.” He emphasized that India, as the world’s largest democracy, successfully concluded its 2024 elections with over 640 million voters, reaffirming support for the ruling NDA party led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Minister highlighted the government’s achievements, including providing free food to 800 million people and distributing 2.2 billion COVID-19 vaccines. He stressed that Modi’s decisive victory reflected good governance and public trust, urging Meta to ensure accuracy in their statements.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who leads a parliamentary committee on Communications and Information Technology, announced plans to summon Meta regarding Zuckerberg’s comments. He expressed concern that spreading misinformation about any democratic nation harms its reputation. Dubey insisted that Meta must apologize not just to Parliament but also to the people of India for this error.

The exchange raises important questions about how global companies communicate about national affairs. Accuracy is key, especially in a country like India, where elections can reflect the will of millions. As the situation develops, it will be interesting to see how Meta addresses this issue and strengthens its commitment to factual reporting.

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