The Delhi High Court issued a contempt of court notice to Wikipedia, following a defamation lawsuit filed by the news agency ANI.
The controversy stems from edits made on Wikipedia’s page about ANI, which described the agency as a “propaganda tool” for the Indian government, sparking a legal battle over freedom of information versus defamation.
The Legal Battle
The defamation suit, seeking damages worth Rs 2 crore, was initiated by ANI after Wikipedia failed to comply with a court order to reveal information about the individuals responsible for the contentious edits.
This led Justice Navin Chawla of the Delhi High Court to remark, “If you don’t like India, please don’t work in India… We will ask the government to block Wikipedia in India.”
Background
The edits on Wikipedia highlighted criticisms against ANI, suggesting it served as a conduit for government propaganda. The narrative was bolstered by past investigations, like one by EU DisinfoLab in 2020, which accused ANI of disseminating disinformation, including content from a network of pro-India fake news websites.
The allegations have long been a point of contention, with ANI defending its editorial independence and integrity.