Wikipedia’s four editors booked for not removing ‘objectionable’ content on Sambhaji Maharaj

The government of Maharashtra's Cyber Crime Portal, Maharashtra Cyber, has registered a case against at least four Wikipedia editors for not removing “objectionable” content on Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, reported the news agency PTI, citing officials, on Friday, February 21. 

According to the report, the nodal agency sent a notice to the Wikimedia Foundation requesting they remove the content from their website. The Wikimedia Foundation is a non-profit organization that runs the open-source website Wikipedia.

Why did Maharashtra Cyber flag Wikipedia?

In the notice, Maharashtra Cyber mentioned that the content published on Wikipedia was inaccurate and could potentially lead to a lawsuit in Maharashtra.

Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of the Maratha-ruler Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, is highly respected in the state, and the information posted on Wikipedia is likely to spark unrest amongst the followers, according to the agency report citing the notice. 

Wikimedia has not responded on the topic of taking down the content, while the cyber cell has registered a case against at least four editors of the website under the sections of the IT Act, according to the officer cited above, reported the news agency.

“I have instructed the Inspector General of the Maharashtra cyber cell to reach out to Wikipedia officials and request the removal of the offensive content related to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj,” said Maharashtra's Chief Minister (CM) Devendra Fadnavis, cited in a Free Press Journal report.

According to the report, the CM said that the State will not accept such content from websites like Wikipedia where the historical information is allegedly incorrect. 

“I have instructed the officials to implement any necessary measure,” Fadnavis said, as per the report.

Wikipedia is an open-source website encyclopedia which is maintained and written by a community of volunteers through collaborations. According to the news agency citing the official, some specific people are the only ones with access to upload content on the website.

The objections of the Cyber Cell on Wikipedia have come forth amid the release of Vicky Kaushal's recent Hindi movie “Chhaava”, which is based on the Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.