BGMI ban appeal and IT Ministry's response: All you need to know

Battlegrounds Mobile India, commonly known as BGMI, has managed to capture the Indian market, quickly rising to become one of the most popular titles in the country since its release last year. The game possesses a large and active fanbase in the nation and a thriving esports sector.

Following the recent ban on the popular battle royale title Free Fire, there has also been news regarding a ban appeal on BGMI. Subsequently, there was another report about the IT Ministry's response to a PIL (Public Interest Litigation) about the same topic.

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Ban appeal on BGMI by an NGO (PRAHAR)

PRAHAR has appealed for a ban on the game (Image via Battlegrounds Mobile India)

According to PRAHAR, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that focuses on socio-economic development, Battlegrounds Mobile India poses a threat to India's security, and they have urged the government to prohibit it in the country.

In a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, PRAHAR stated that to avoid Indian lawmakers, PUBG was reintroduced to India under the name "Battlegrounds Mobile India" by a Tencent-backed firm (Krafton).

Furthermore, they added that Tencent is the second-largest stakeholder in Krafton, with a 15.5% share. Secondly, they asserted that the Chinese firm owns holdings in several of the promoter's businesses through secretive private deals, allowing them control over the organization.

Abhay Mishra, the NGO's national convenor and president, stated:

"In the 'so-called new avatar,' BGMI-PUBG is no different from the erstwhile PUBG with Tencent still controlling it in the background."

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IT Ministry's response to PIL

PUBG Mobile and Battlegrounds Mobile India are separate apps (Image via PUBG Mobile)

A few days ago, a PIL was filed in the Telangana High Court by Hyderabad-based lawyer Anil Stevenson Jangam, requesting a ban on the battle royale title.

As per IANS, the PIL read:

"BGMI and the banned application PUBG Mobile are the same game with only cosmetic changes. The new application Battlegrounds Mobile India is fraught with all the dangers its banned earlier version posed to our children and adolescents. Therefore, the new version also deserves to be banned."

However, as recently reported by New Indian Express, N. Samaya Balan, representative of MEITY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology), stated in an affidavit that PUBG Mobile and Battlegrounds Mobile India are not the same apps. It also added that only the government could restrict computer resources.