MobiKwik gets pulled off Google Play Store for Aarogya Setu Link, restored now

MobiKwik is back on the Google Play Store now after the digital wallet app removed the Aarogya Setu app link

Google was told that digital payment apps were asked by the RBI to show the Aarogya Setu app link (MobiKwik/Twitter )

Google removed MobiKwik, the digital wallet app, off the Google Play Store temporarily on Thursday. MobiKwik was penalised for showing the Aarogya Setu app link on their app. Google, earlier in the month, had asked MobiKwik to remove the Aarogya Setu app link.

However, things seem to have been resolved now after Google spoke to MobiKwik CEO Bipin Preet Singh's team since the app is back on the store.

Google was told that digital payment apps like MobiKwik were asked by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to show the Aarogya Setu link on their apps. The idea was to spread awareness among customers to download the contact tracing app for timely updates on Covid-19 and alerts.

On Thursday though, Google removed MobiKwik off the Play Store without a warning leading to Singh tweeting about the issue tagging Google, the Competition Commission of India, Amitabh Kant (Niti Ayog CEO), the PMO and Ravi Shankar Prasad. 

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

MobiKwik is not the only app that shows the Aarogya Setu link though, other apps like Paytm and Swiggy show ads about the contact tracing app as well. For now, though, MobiKwik was put back on the Google Play Store after they removed the Aarogya Setu link.