New Delhi: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday took to social media to fact-check Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s recent remarks regarding India’s 2024 general elections. Zuckerberg’s assertion that “incumbents” in all major countries, including India, lost elections, has been categorically refuted by Vaishnaw, who called the claim misinformation.
In a podcast with Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg had stated that in 2024, incumbents worldwide had lost elections, citing factors such as inflation, economic policies related to COVID-19, and the global decrease in trust towards governments. He suggested that this reflected a broad global phenomenon affecting democratic institutions.
Zuckerberg’s comment, however, was at odds with the reality of India’s 2024 general election results, where the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi secured a resounding victory for a third consecutive term.
Reacting strongly to Zuckerberg’s misleading statement, Ashwini Vaishnaw clarified that India’s electoral outcome was vastly different from the trend described by the Meta chief.
“India conducted its 2024 elections with over 640 million voters, and the people of India overwhelmingly reaffirmed their trust in the NDA led by PM Narendra Modi,” Vaishnaw stated. “Mr. Zuckerberg’s claim that most incumbent governments, including India, lost post-COVID is factually incorrect.”
The Union Minister emphasized the Modi government’s achievements during the pandemic, which helped India navigate unprecedented challenges. “From providing free food to 800 million people, distributing 2.2 billion free vaccines, to offering aid to nations around the world, India’s response to COVID-19 was a global success,” Vaishnaw noted, highlighting the government’s governance efforts.
He further commended the Modi government’s economic leadership, underscoring India’s status as the fastest-growing major economy in the world. Vaishnaw pointed out that Prime Minister Modi’s decisive victory in 2024 demonstrated the public’s trust in his leadership.
In his tweet on X (formerly Twitter), the minister expressed disappointment over Zuckerberg’s comments: “It’s disappointing to see misinformation from Mr. Zuckerberg himself. Let’s uphold facts and credibility.”