Meta apologises for brief removal of PM's selfie video; govt summons global head

Sources said the government is taking the brief disappearance of PM Modi's selfie-style video from Facebook "very seriously" and has already sent summons to the global heads of Meta and Instagram.

In Short

• Meta said the video was taken down due to technical glitch, later restored
• Taking the incident seriously, government summoned top Meta executives
• In the video, PM Modi addressed NEET paper leak and student protests

Social media giant Meta on Tuesday apologised after a selfie video posted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing student protesters was briefly removed from Facebook before being restored.

According to sources, the video was removed due to a technical glitch. The government is looking into the incident and has summoned top Meta executives to explain the temporary takedown.

In a statement, a Meta spokesperson said, "The content was removed in error and has since been restored."

Sources said the government is taking the incident "very seriously". The Ministry of Information and Technology has already sent summons to the global heads of Meta and Instagram.

The video in question was posted just before midnight last Thursday (July 23), and featured PM Modi appealing directly to students amid nationwide protests demanding the resignation of then Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET-UG paper leak.

The brief disappearance of the video was noticed immediately by BJP leaders and online commentators, who lost no time in flagging it to Meta and demanding answers.

"Facebook has crossed every limit. It has blocked Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s post on strict action against paper leaks from being seen in India," tweeted BJP's Tajinder Bagga. "Who gave this foreign platform the authority to censor India’s Prime Minister and decide what Indians are allowed to read?"

PM's VIDEO MESSAGE AT MIDNIGHT

In the nearly 3-minute video, the Prime Minister had reassured students that the government viewed paper leaks and examination irregularities with utmost seriousness and would take strict action against the accused.

"Friends, I know that paper leak is not an ordinary issue. It is very painful for lakhs of students and their families. That is why many steps have been taken in the last two and a half months," PM Modi said.

PM Modi also said the government had used its full resources to conduct examinations for 22 lakh NEET aspirants without delay.

He added, "The culprits have been caught and are in jail. Our most important responsibility was to ensure that students do not waste a single year. It was very important to take the exams immediately."

The late-night address came in the middle of a week that saw student protests spearheaded by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) gain momentum across the country after a march to Parliament was met with heavy police crackdown.

While the Prime Minister did not address the police action in his video, his direct, digital-first approach aimed at reaching younger audiences instantly went viral. On Instagram, it racked up more than 303 million views within 24 hours, shattering the previous worldwide record of 300 million views.

It prompted PM Modi to post a follow-up video acknowledging the massive digital reception and "insightful" suggestions he received from the country's youth. "Thank you, friends... I hope your love and support continue and that our bond grows even stronger and more active," he said in the 40-second clip.

- Ends