New Delhi: Officials of Meta came under scrutiny during a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Electronics and Information Technology after BJP members questioned the temporary removal of Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s video from Facebook.

According to sources, committee members sought an explanation from the social media company regarding the circumstances that led to the takedown and questioned the platform’s content moderation practices.

The discussion formed part of a broader review of content moderation policies and the accountability of major social media platforms operating in India.

BJP MPs seek accountability

Sources said a senior BJP Member of Parliament asked Meta representatives why the Prime Minister’s video had been removed, who authorised the decision and why the platform acted against the content while allegedly allowing other objectionable material to remain online.

The MP also sought details on who bore ultimate responsibility for the decision and whether the company had identified the officials involved in the incident.

According to sources, Meta representatives expressed regret over the temporary removal and indicated that the company was willing to issue an apology.

However, a BJP member reportedly said that an apology alone would not be sufficient and insisted that those responsible should be identified and held accountable.

Committee reviews content moderation

The issue was discussed as the Parliamentary Standing Committee examined matters relating to content moderation, transparency and the accountability of social media platforms.

The panel reportedly focused on the procedures followed by technology companies while moderating content and the mechanisms in place to prevent erroneous takedowns of material posted by public figures.

The committee is expected to continue examining safeguards adopted by digital platforms to ensure accountability and consistency in implementing their policies.

Centre summoned Meta executives

The parliamentary review follows the Centre’s decision to summon senior Meta executives to explain the temporary restriction of the Prime Minister’s video on Facebook.

S. Krishnan, Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), had earlier confirmed that the government had asked Meta’s senior leadership to explain the circumstances surrounding the incident.

He said the company had informed the government that it had introduced new protocols for accounts belonging to prominent public figures to prevent similar incidents in future.

Government officials had described the temporary removal as a serious matter and sought a detailed explanation from the company.

Meta attributes removal to technical error

The controversy arose after a video message by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, first posted on Instagram and later shared on Facebook, was briefly restricted on Facebook before being restored.

Meta apologised for the incident and stated that the content had been removed inadvertently due to a technical error.

A company spokesperson said the video had been restored after the mistake was identified.

Government sources maintained that the ministry had treated the issue seriously and sought clarification from senior Meta executives, including global officials.

Video addressed NEET controversy

The Prime Minister’s video, posted shortly before midnight on July 23, marked his first public message to students amid nationwide protests over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak.

In the address, Modi acknowledged the concerns of students and their families and said the government had acted swiftly to ensure that the academic year was not disrupted.

He stated that those responsible for the alleged paper leak had been arrested and that examinations for nearly 22 lakh NEET aspirants had been conducted without further delay.

The message came during protests demanding accountability over the examination controversy, which later concluded following the resignation of the then Union Education Minister.

The temporary removal of the video has since become the subject of both parliamentary scrutiny and government review, with lawmakers seeking greater accountability from social media platforms.