Indian Government Urged to Ban BGMI after Free fire by a NGO: PRAHAR, a non-governmental organization that focuses on socioeconomic development, has asked the government to restrict BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India), claiming that it poses a security risk to India. It’s only been a few days since the country banned 54 mobile applications, including Garena Free Fire, one of the most popular mobile games in India. The abrupt suspension has wreaked havoc on the thriving mobile gaming industry, affecting both professional players and content creators.
“Tencent Holdings Limited had launched PUBG in India, and it was one of the most downloaded games at the time of its ban in 2020,” wrote Abhay Mishra, National Convenor and President of PRAHAR. In less than a year, PUBG was reintroduced in India by a Tencent front company – Krafton – under the new name BGMI – a move that was clearly intended to sidestep Indian policymakers.”
It went on to say, “On paper, Tencent is Krafton’s second largest shareholder, holding 15.5 percent of the company’s stock.” Tencent, on the other hand, is said to have additional interests in the promoter’s various businesses through private deals hidden from the public, giving them extraordinary control over Krafton. The majority of international media also refers to Krafton as “Tencent-backed Krafton.”
In today’s data-centric world, maintaining technology integrity is critical to safeguarding India’s sovereignty, security, and defence. “We urge the government to thoroughly investigate the antecedents and Chinese influence of the BGMI-PUBG app and to take immediate action if found in violation,” said Ashwani Mahajan, National Co-Convener of the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch.
PUBG Mobile was banned in the country in September 2020 under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act of 2000. After a long wait, Indian fans were finally able to enjoy their beloved title in its new form, when it was renamed BGMI. Several legislators, however, advocated for a ban on BGMI at the time of its release.
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