Shark Tank Judge Anupam Mittal to Supreme Court and CCI: Google’s Lagaan must be stopped | – Times of India

Shark Tank judge and founder and CEO of People Group and Shaadi.com Anupam Mittal has slammed Google for delisting some Indian apps. “Today is a dark day for India Internet. Google has delisted major apps from its app store even though legal hearings are underway @CCI_India & @indSupremeCourt. Their false narratives & audacity show they have little regard for 🇮🇳 Make no mistake – this is the new Digital East India Co and this #Lagaan must be stopped! Pls RT and #SaveOurStartups,” wrote Mittal on X, formerly Twitter, as he came out hitting hard against Google’s action of delisting Indian apps.
Mittal further said, “The government needs to intervene now and direct the CCI (Competition Commission of India) to ensure Google is in compliance with their order and immediately restore all apps that were delisted.”

What is the issue

Google charges a service fee when developers sell in-app digital goods to sustain its efforts. It added that its tiered pricing programs benefit Indian developers and claimed that only 3% of developers in India sell digital goods or services and therefore need to pay a service fee and that the vast majority of developers pay 15 percent or less which it said is the lowest of any major global app store. “In fact, in India, less than 60 developers on Google Play are subject to fees above 15 percent,” the company claimed.

List of delisted apps

The delisted apps include Bharat Matrimony, Telugu Matrimony, Tamil Matrimony, Marathi Matrimony as well as Matrimony.com’s Jodii and People Group’s Shaadi.com as well as dating apps Truly Madly and QuackQuack. Vernacular video-streaming platform Stage, Balaji Telefilms’ Altt and audio streaming and podcast app Kuku FM have also been removed from the Play Store.

What alternatives delisted apps hace

“In the meantime, these developers continue to have other options to operate their business on Android, including distribution through alternative Android app stores or directly via their websites. Existing users will be able to continue to access the apps without interruption — and we continue to offer our support to help developers get into compliance,” the company said.
Industry body ADIF too issued a statement saying this was not a matter of ten developers, but the entire Indian digital sector that was being “threatened” by Google’s dominance and monopoly.