“If You Don’t Like India, Don’t Work In India”: Delhi HC Issues Contempt Notice To Wikipedia

The Delhi High Court (HC) on Thursday (September 5) issued a contempt notice to Wikipedia’s parent Wikimedia Foundation for not complying with its order to disclose the name of those who made alleged defamatory edits to news agency ANI’s Wikipedia page. 

While issuing the notice, Justice Navin Chawla reportedly gave Wikipedia a stern warning regarding its conduct in court. Further, the HC also summoned an authorised representative from Wikimedia to appear in person at the next hearing in October. 

“I will impose contempt…It is not a question of Defendant No 1 [Wikipedia] not being an entity in India. We will close your business transactions here. We will ask the government to block Wikipedia…Earlier also you people have taken this argument. If you don’t like India, please don’t work in India,” Justice Navin Chawla was quoted as saying by Bar and Bench. 

At the heart of the courtroom drama is a defamation case filed by ANI against Wikipedia. The news agency was described as a “propaganda tool for the incumbent central government” on its Wikipedia page.

ANI is seeking INR 2 Cr from Wikipedia for damages. 

In its August 20 hearing, the HC had directed Wikipedia to disclose the details of the subscribers who made the edit within two weeks. When the deadline was not met, ANI filed the contempt order.

In its response to the court’s order earlier, Wikipedia had reportedly said that it “does not add, edit or determine content published” on its website. “Wikipedia’s content is determined by its global community of volunteer editors (also known as the ‘Wikimedia Community’) who compile and share information on notable subjects,” the foundation said in a statement then, as per Mint.

With this, Wikipedia has become the latest tech major to get embroiled in regulatory and other tussles in India. Earlier this week, OTT giant Netflix’s key officials were summoned by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (I&B) to provide an explanation after its series ‘IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack’ caused an uproar.

Further, the likes of Amazon, Apple, Google, and Meta are also involved in multiple cases in India. 

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