After being directed by RBI, MobiKwik amongst others added a link to the Aarogya Setu app on their home screen. Google had approached the CEO, Mr. Bipin Preet Singh earlier this month and directed that the link be removed from the app. However, it was said to be resolved after the RBI guidelines were explained.
The link was mandated in order to spread the word about the COVID-19 tracing application where the user is notified when he/she is near a person infected with COVID-19. The government believes that this would lead to awareness and people will install the application.
However, Google removed the MobiKwik application from the Play Store without any warning on Thursday. The CEO tweeted this and tagged the search engine giant, Competition Commission of India, Amitabh Kant (CEO of Niti Ayog), PMO (Prime Minister of India) office and Ravi Shankar Prasad (Minister of Law & Justice, Communications, Electronics & Information Technology). He also said that Google has “too much power”
Hey @GoogleIndia @GooglePlay you removed @MobiKwik app from play store because we had a link to Aarogya Setu app. We were asked to do this by regulators ( @RBI ) and understand it’s in public health interest. You have too much power ! Cc @CCI_India @amitabhk87 @PMOIndia @rsprasad pic.twitter.com/ftv5KIZCAy
— Bipin Preet Singh (@BipinSingh) May 28, 2020
What is peculiar is that other applications such as PayTM and Swiggy also have ads for the Aarogya Setu link but no such action has been taken against them as of now. It can be noted that both Google Pay (a subsidiary of Google) and MobiKwik are UPI payment apps.
