New Delhi: A hint of good news comes for gamers in India who have not taken the banning of the PUBG game lightly. Battlegrounds Mobile India, similar to PUBG, is all set to be released in India, reportedly on June 18th. The declaration has brought some outrage as some reviewers feel the game is simply a re-branded version of banned PUBG Mobile.
Following the same, Dr. Gaurav Tyagi, an assistant professor at JNU, has filed an RTI requesting the prevention of the release. However, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and Home Affairs (MHA), in response, revealed that it could not prevent the game from being launched in India. Still, under the provisions of Section 69A of the Information Technology Act of 2000, it can be banned after launch.
“Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology has no role in granting any permission for entry of PUBG or any company/Mobile app in India,” stated the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in response to the RTI filed.
“MHA does not grant permission for launching any app. Meity issues blocking direction for any mobile applications under the provisions of section 69A of the Information Technology Act,2000 and its rules namely the Information Technology (Procedure and Safeguards for Blocking for Access of Information for Public) Rules, 2009, in the interest of sovereignty and integrity of India, security of state and defence of India etc. Regarding vii, CPIO is not supposed to provide opinion under RTI Act,” stated the Ministry of Home Affairs