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A Twitter user that goes by the handle @godyamarajop replied to a tweet by popular BGMI streamer Maxtern, in which he provided the images of his RTI (Right to Information) appeal and the response from the Government of India.
As per the tweet, he asked two questions in his Right to Information appeal:
- What are the reasons to take down Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) game from Play Store and App Store?
- Is there any meeting/meetings with publisher Krafton regarding the ban of BGMI from the Play Store? And if so, what is the outcome of those meetings, please provide the minutes of the meeting.
Apart from answering his questions, the response included a piece of detailed information about Section 69A of the IT Act, 2000 and Rule 16 of IT Rules, 2009.
The BGMI (Battlegrounds Mobile India) ban has been challenging for the game's esports scene in India. The game's unexpected removal from the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store drew a lot of attention from fans. Krafton later promised to communicate and cooperate with the concerned authorities.
However, the Government of India hasn't released any statements about the ban so far.
BGMI ban: Government authorities provide answers after a Twitter user files an RTI appeal
Why was Battlegrounds Mobile India banned?
The exact reason for the game's ban has recently been revealed by authorities after a Twitter user, @godyamarajop, filed an RTI (right to information) request.
As per the official response, requests regarding the ban were received by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). Therefore, the former acted upon the requests and blocked Battlegrounds Mobile India under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and IT Rules, 2009.
The reasons were related to the "sovereignty and integrity of India," security of the nation, and its relations with foreign states. Thus, Battlegrounds Mobile India received a ban due to security and privacy issues surrounding the game.
The statement also confirmed that government authorities had a meeting with Krafton, the publisher/developer of Battlegrounds Mobile India. However, it also stated that the minutes of the meeting would have to remain confidential.
