Meta India’s public policy head Shivnath Thukral apologized on X (formerly Twitter) to IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw following controversial remarks made by Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg during a podcast with Joe Rogan.
Thukral described Zuckerberg’s statement as an “inadvertent error” after the minister rebuked the claim about India’s 2024 elections.
In the podcast episode released on January 10, Zuckerberg commented that post-Covid, public trust in government information had declined, leading to incumbent governments losing elections in 2024 across various nations, including India. He said, “2024 was a big election year around the world… countries like India… incumbents basically lost every single one.”
Responding to Zuckerberg’s claim, Vaishnaw highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government was re-elected in 2024 with a resounding mandate. The minister also called upon Meta and Zuckerberg to “uphold facts and credibility.”
About 350 stakeholders attended the first consultation session on DPDP rules. Excellent suggestions. This will be followed by series of focussed discussions. pic.twitter.com/s9s1nbYcrK
— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) January 14, 2025
In response, Thukral clarified the inaccuracy and apologized publicly. “Dear Honourable Minister @AshwiniVaishnaw, 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,” Thukral wrote on X.
The controversy gained traction after Vaishnaw posted a strong rebuttal on January 13 and shared a comment on the YouTube video of Zuckerberg’s interview. Thukral’s apology was followed by a statement from Nishikant Dubey, the chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on communications and information technology.
Dubey had earlier suggested summoning Meta executives to seek an apology for Zuckerberg’s “interference with Indian democracy.” After the apology, Dubey declared the matter resolved, stating, “The Indian official has finally apologised for his mistakes. This is the victory of the common citizens of India. Now the responsibility of our committee ends on this issue. We will call these social platforms in the future on other issues. Forgiveness suits the cobra who has poison.”
The incident has stirred discussions around corporate accountability and the influence of social media giants on global democracies. It also raised questions about the role of tech platforms in disseminating accurate information, particularly in politically sensitive contexts.
While Meta has sought to distance itself from Zuckerberg’s remarks, the controversy underscores the fine line global corporations must tread in addressing diverse political landscapes. For India, a nation increasingly central to the operations of tech giants, maintaining credibility and fostering trust is crucial.
