India summons Meta head over removal of PM Modi's Facebook post, govt says issue 'far from settled'

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology summoned the global head of public policy of Meta (Facebook and Instagram) over the removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's post addressing the youth of the country, sources told ET on Tuesday.

Following the summon, government sources told PTI that Meta's explanation of removing PM Modi's post was 'not reasonable' and deeper discussions were needed on the matter. The "issue is far from settled," the sources said.

The report comes a day after BJP worker Priti Gandhi raised the issue in a X post, accusing Facebook of restricting the video.


"The Prime Minister of the world's largest democracy uploads his first direct selfie video to connect with India's youth... and Facebook restricts it??? Who gave Meta the authority to decide what millions of Indians should or should not see???" Gandhi said.

"This isn't just content moderation. It raises serious questions about your political bias, transparency & accountability. Respond!!!" she added.

Also read: Meta restricts PM Modi's Facebook video to youth amid CJP protests, restores it later and apologises for 'error'

According to PTI sources, Meta said a video posted on PM Modi's Facebook account was removed "in error" and has since been restored. The social media platform had briefly restricted access to the video during the early hours of July 28.

PM Modi took to social media to address India's youth after Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) organised peaceful protests at Delhi's Jantar Mantar against NEET paper leak, demanding resignation of former Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

The prime minister, in his first video, acknowledged the concerns of students and parents over the paper leak controversy.

"I know that paper leak is not an ordinary issue. It is very painful for lakh of students and their guardians," he had said.

The briefly restricted video, originally released on July 23, marked PM Modi's first direct address to Gen Z during the 36-day-long youth-led agitation over the NEET examination irregularities.

In the video, he assured students that the government would take stronger action against examination paper leaks, saying stricter legal provisions would be brought before the Union Cabinet.

"I have issued directions to departments to set up Fast-Track Courts," Modi had said, adding that a draft legislation providing for stringent punishment and special courts to deal with paper leak cases would be discussed by the Cabinet before being introduced in Parliament.

He added that the government had ensured that the academic year of nearly 22 lakh students was not disrupted and vowed that "nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth."