In an attempt to curb the spread of fake news, the BJP-led government has asked Google and Facebook to take down any false news, in form of videos or other content, regarding the safety and quality of food in India.

The IT ministry said that such false information are tarnishing the faith people have on the institutions looking after food safety in the country.

The decision came after the Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) CEO Pawan Agarwal lodged a formal complaint about some miscreants spreading circulating fake news regarding the food quality in India.

"It has come to our notice that some miscreants are misusing various social-media platforms for circulating fake and objectionable material, including false and malicious videos regarding safety and quality of food available in India…Such fake and malicious videos erode the public's confidence about the institutions in India which are performing their job with due diligence,” added Agarwal.

FSSAI also said that such negative propaganda created fear in the minds of the public and hampered the food business. Moreover, it also eroded the global trust in India’s food system and business.

The IT ministry instructed the global internet giants to immediately remove such content and block the accounts of the perpetrators.

"Specific instances like creating false scare of plastic egg plastic rice, melamine in milk. One specific fake video which went viral on social media related to the presence of melamine in milk wherein it was maliciously projected that FSSAI had given permission for use of melamine in the milk,” said the IT ministry.

FSSAI suggested that to quickly take up such issues and find solutions, the companies should appoint a nodal officer.