An advisor for the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has alleged that Meta rigged its algorithm to suppress posts featuring Hindu Sadhus and pilgrims at the Maha Kumbh Mela 2025.
Hours after Meta India on Wednesday apologised for CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s remarks, an official from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting alleged that the social media platform has “rigged” its algorithm to prevent users from posting pictures from the ongoing Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj.
In an X post, the Ministry’s senior advisor, Kanchan Gupta, wrote, “I’m told Meta has rigged its algo to try and prevent posting of photos of Hindu Sadhus and pilgrims at Mahakumbh 2025.”
“I have reason to believe this is true. US Tech-run Big Platforms are anti-India, anti-Sanatan Dharma. They are racist and propagandists of ‘3 Books’,” she wrote.
I’m told @Meta @AIatMeta has rigged its algo to try and prevent posting of photos of Hindu Sadhus and pilgrims at Mahakumbh 2025.
I have reason to believe this is true.
US Tech-run Big Platforms are anti-India, anti-Sanatan Dharma. They are racist and propagandists of ‘3 Books’.— Kanchan Gupta 🇮🇳 (@KanchanGupta) January 15, 2025
Zuckerberg’s remarks during a podcast, that the incumbent government in India lost power in the 2024 elections, snowballed into a controversy in India, with many Union Ministers calling the remarks “factually incorrect”.
Earlier today, Meta India apologised for the CEO’s statement and in an X post, wrote, “Dear Honourable Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, 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,” he wrote.
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…
— Shivnath Thukral (@shivithukral) January 14, 2025
This came as Vaishnaw had debunked Zuckerberg’s remarks as misinformation and made it clear that Meta must uphold facts and credibility.
Later, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey, who heads the Parliament’s Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, had on Tuesday said that the panel will summon the firm following its chairman’s comments that India’s ruling dispensation lost the Lok Sabha election last year.