Wikipedia told to delete 'objectionable' info on Sambhaji Maharaj

Maharashtra Cyber has issued a notice to United States-based Wikimedia Foundation to remove 'objectionable' content on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj from the Wikipedia page, officials said on Wednesday.

IMAGE: Actor Vicky Kaushal offers floral tribute to a 'jiretop' during a promotion event of his movie Chhaava, in Patna on Saturday. The historical action film is based on the life of Maratha King Chatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. Photograph: ANI Photo

The action followed claims by various organisations about the existence of defamatory information related to Sambhaji Maharaj, on Wikipedia, the open source encyclopedia.

The objections came against the backdrop of the recently released Hindi film Chhava, based on the life of Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Maratha empire founder Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

A day earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis directed the Maharashtra Cyber to approach Wikipedia and ask for the removal of the objectionable content.

Accordingly, Maharashtra Cyber, a cyber and information security division, sent a notice to the Wikimedia Foundation in California and requested the removal of the objectionable content about Sambhaji Maharaj, officials said.

The notice was sent under section 79(3)(b) of the Information Technology Act and section 168 (Prevention of cognisable offences) of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS).

The notice maintained that the Wikipedia content was inaccurate and lacked proper references or sources, inciting communal hatred as Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj is highly revered in India.

This misinformation is causing unrest among his followers and could potentially lead to a law-and-order situation, the Maharashtra Cyber stated.

Considering the gravity of the situation and its potential impact, Maharashtra Cyber also directed the Wikimedia Foundation to remove the objectionable content in a timely manner and prevent its re-uploading in the future, the official added.

'This notice is being served on you under section 79 (3) (b) of IT Act 2000 r/w the Information and Technology (Intermediaries Guidelines) Rules 2011, which makes you liable to be charged under section 85(2) of the Information Technology Act 2000,' it stated.

Wikipedia is a free-content online encyclopedia, written and maintained by a community of volunteers through open collaboration.

Fadnavis on Tuesday said distortion of history on open-source platforms such as Wikipedia would not be tolerated.

He also noted that since Wikipedia does not operate from India and is managed by volunteers who have editorial rights, the government can ask them to put in place some regulations that will stop such distortion of facts.