- Meta cited an algorithmic glitch for removal to parliamentary committee.
The political controversy surrounding the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Facebook reel has intensified, with Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra coming out in support of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. Her remarks come amid mounting pressure from the BJP, which has demanded a personal apology from Zuckerberg over the brief disappearance of the Prime Minister’s video from the social media platform.
The latest exchange has added a fresh political dimension to the debate over social media regulation, platform accountability and the government’s relationship with technology companies.
Mahua Moitra Tells Zuckerberg ‘Don’t Get Bullied’
Taking to X, Mahua Moitra directly addressed the Meta chief, urging him not to apologise to the Indian government over the incident.
Tagging Zuckerberg’s official account, she wrote: “Hello Mark – @finkd please do not get bullied & apologise to anyone. Indian govt blackmails & threatens citizens all the time, gets content critical of it removed at will. One video mistakenly removed for few hours didn’t make heavens fall!”
Hello Mark – @finkd please do not get bullied & apologise to anyone. Indian govt blackmails & threatens citizens all the time, gets content critical of it removed at will. One video mistakenly removed for few hours didn’t make heavens fall!
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) August 4, 2026
Through the post, the TMC MP alleged that the government routinely pressures citizens and online platforms while arguing that the temporary removal of the Prime Minister’s video did not warrant the political reaction it received.
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BJP Renews Pressure On Meta
Moitra’s comments came shortly after BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who chairs the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, reiterated his demand for a personal apology from Mark Zuckerberg.
Dubey warned that Meta could risk losing its “safe harbour” protection under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act if the company failed to respond appropriately to the incident. The legal provision protects online intermediaries from liability for third-party content hosted on their platforms, subject to compliance with applicable laws.
The BJP leader maintained that the temporary removal of the Prime Minister’s video raised serious concerns and warranted accountability from the company.
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Temporary Reel Removal Triggered Political Row
The controversy centres on a selfie-style Facebook reel uploaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 23, in which he spoke publicly for the first time about the nationwide student protests linked to the NEET paper leak.
The video reportedly became unavailable for around four-and-a-half hours, disappearing at approximately 12.30 am before being restored around 5 am.
Following the incident, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology summoned representatives from Meta, Google, YouTube, X and Snapchat, along with officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Ministry of Home Affairs, to explain the circumstances behind the temporary removal.
After the meeting, Nishikant Dubey questioned Zuckerberg’s “intention” behind the incident, describing it as a serious matter. According to MPs who attended the session, Meta apologised before the committee and attributed the temporary removal of the video to an algorithmic glitch.
