COVID-19: Centre asks social media firms to take down content referring to ‘Indian variant'

The IT ministry has reportedly asked social media platforms to take down any such content containing the term ‘Indian variant' in order to curb misinformation around COVID-19.

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New Delhi: The central government has directed all social media companies to delete any content from their platform that names or refers to the term ‘Indian variant' of coronavirus, as per a report. 

According to PTI, the IT Ministry has written to all social media platforms stating that the World Health Organization (WHO) has not associated the term 'Indian Variant' with the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus in any of its reports. 

Further, the ministry asked these platforms to take down any such content containing the term ‘Indian variant' in order to curb misinformation around COVID-19. 

"This is completely FALSE. There is no such variant of Covid-19 scientifically cited as such by the World Health Organisation (WHO). WHO has not associated the term 'Indian Variant' with the B.1.617 variant of the coronavirus in any of its reports," Reuters quoted the IT Ministry’s letter as saying. 

The Narendra Modi-led Centre has been criticized by the opposition for its handling of the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic which has ravaged the country. 

Meanwhile, India recorded over 2.59 lakh new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, pushing the caseload to 2,60,31,991. While 4,209 people lost their lives which took the death toll to 2,91,331, as per Union Health ministry data on Friday. 

(With inputs from agencies)