India's parliamentary panel overseeing electronics and information technology has handed Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg a three-day deadline, demanding an apology for the brief removal of a July 23 video posted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with action against those responsible.
Panel led by Nishikant Dubey takes a hard line
The parliamentary committee, chaired by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, has called the takedown of PM Modi's video an assault on the representation of 1.4 billion Indians, branding it an "attack on democracy." The panel warned that if Facebook fails to act against those responsible, it will strip the company of its 'safe harbour clause' protection. It further said Zuckerberg must personally apologise, failing which a case could be filed against the company. Dubey posted the warning on X.
Losing the safe harbour clause would end the legal immunity social media companies currently enjoy in India, clearing the way for police to file FIRs directly against platform officials. The committee added that the central government is prepared to approve such a move. Such a change would mark one of the most significant shifts yet in how Indian authorities hold global technology platforms accountable for decisions affecting government communication.
Row traces back to Modi's address on the NEET paper leak
The controversy stems from a post by PM Modi that was first shared on Instagram and later on Facebook. It was his first-ever selfie video, in which he addressed Gen Z directly and promised strict action against paper leaks. At the time, students were protesting under the banner of the 'Cockroach Janta Party' (CJP). Meta briefly pulled that very video from Facebook, and later apologised, attributing the removal to a technical glitch. The IT Ministry, however, found that explanation inadequate and pursued the matter further.
What Meta told the government
After the video was taken down, the IT Ministry summoned Meta officials for an explanation, pressing them on how a post tied to the Prime Minister's Office had been taken down without any prior review. The company told the government that the error occurred because of its AI-driven automated content moderation tool, and promised additional oversight to prevent a repeat. Meta also clarified that posts from VIPs and celebrities will no longer be removed without approval from a senior official, and it has since rolled out a new protocol for handling VIP accounts to avoid similar mistakes in the future.
The standoff is being read as a direct clash between a BJP-led parliamentary panel and a global tech giant, and signals that the government is prepared to take a tougher stance on content moderation decisions involving India's top leadership.
