NEW DELHI: PRAHAR, a non-profit organization working in the area of socioeconomic development, has written to the ministry of home affairs (MHA) and ministry of electronics and information technology (MEIT) to block the Chinese app Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) under section 69A of the Information Technology Act, as it poses a threat to the sovereignty and integrity of India.
The NGO has urged the government to add BGMI to the list of 54 Chinese apps banned on February 14, 2022, claiming that Krafton, a South Korean studio that publishes BGMI, is a front company of Tencent Holdings.
“Tencent Holdings had launched PUBG in India, and it was one of the most downloaded games at the time of its ban in 2020. In less than a year, PUBG was re-introduced in India by a front company of Tencent – Krafton under the new name BGMI — a move that was clearly meant to circumvent the Indian policymakers,” the letter said.
On paper, Tencent is the second largest shareholder of Krafton with 15.5% stocks, said PRAHAR.
“We congratulate the government on their decision to ban another 54 Chinese apps in India recently. This is in line with the ongoing demand from people of India to boycott all kinds of Chinese goods,” said Ashwani Mahajan, national co-convener, Swadeshi Jagaran Manch.
“Also, in today’s data centric world, maintaining technology integrity is extremely important to protect the sovereignty of India, security of the state and defense of India. We urge the Government to thoroughly investigate the antecedents and China influence of the BGMI-PUBG app and take immediate action if found in violation”
The NGO has urged the government to add BGMI to the list of 54 Chinese apps banned on February 14, 2022, claiming that Krafton, a South Korean studio that publishes BGMI, is a front company of Tencent Holdings.
“Tencent Holdings had launched PUBG in India, and it was one of the most downloaded games at the time of its ban in 2020. In less than a year, PUBG was re-introduced in India by a front company of Tencent – Krafton under the new name BGMI — a move that was clearly meant to circumvent the Indian policymakers,” the letter said.
On paper, Tencent is the second largest shareholder of Krafton with 15.5% stocks, said PRAHAR.
“We congratulate the government on their decision to ban another 54 Chinese apps in India recently. This is in line with the ongoing demand from people of India to boycott all kinds of Chinese goods,” said Ashwani Mahajan, national co-convener, Swadeshi Jagaran Manch.
“Also, in today’s data centric world, maintaining technology integrity is extremely important to protect the sovereignty of India, security of the state and defense of India. We urge the Government to thoroughly investigate the antecedents and China influence of the BGMI-PUBG app and take immediate action if found in violation”
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