'Disappointing': Ashwini Vaishnaw reacts to Mark Zuckerberg's incorrect claim on Lok Sabha elections

Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg’s claim that most incumbent governments across the world, including in India, lost the 2024 elections due to their handling of the Covid-19 crisis is “factually incorrect”, union minister for electronics and information technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said.


“From free food for 800 million, 2.2 billion free vaccines, and aid to nations worldwide during COVID, to leading India as the fastest-growing major economy, PM Modi’s decisive 3rd-term victory is a testament to good governance and public trust. @Meta, it’s disappointing to see misinformation from Mr Zuckerberg himself. Let’s uphold facts and credibility,” Vaishnaw said in a post on X (formerly Twitter).


During a podcast recording with US-based podcaster Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg said that public reaction to the various governments’ handling of Covid-19 caused a lot of incumbent governments, including in India, to lose.

“2024 was a big election year around the world and all these countries…India…ton of countries that had elections and the incumbents basically lost every single one,” Zuckerberg remarked during the podcast.

Responding to the comment, Vaishnaw said in his post that the 2024 elections in India, conducted with more than 640 million voters, saw people re-affirming their trust in the National Democratic Alliance government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“Mr. Zuckerberg’s claim that most incumbent governments, including India in 2024 elections, lost post-Covid is factually incorrect,” Vaishnaw said.