IT Ministry Summons Wikipedia India Execs After Cricketer Arshdeep Singh's Page Reflected 'Khalistan Link': Report

The IT Ministry is seeking an explanation from Wikipedia India executives on how Indian cricket team bowler Arshdeep Singh's Wikipedia page entry was changed to "reflect his association with Khalistan".

Representative image. Courtesy: Getty

The IT Ministry on Monday summoned Wikipedia executives in the country to meet the ministry today. The IT Ministry is seeking an explanation on how Indian cricket team bowler Arshdeep Singh's Wikipedia page entry was changed to "reflect his association with Khalistan".

Likely to be headed by the IT Ministry secretary, the high-level panel would question Wikipedia executives in India on checks and balances in place to avoid such edits. It is also likely that the ministry also issues Wikipedia a show-cause notice, the Economic Times has reported.

“It is a serious issue. The edits have been traced back to servers in neighbouring countries and can cause serious damage to the internal peace and national safety of India. We will ask them (Wikipedia executives) how such an edit could be allowed to stay on for quite some time," a senior government official was quoted as saying by the ET report.

"No intermediary operating in India can permit this type of misinformation and deliberate efforts to incitement and user harm - violates our govt's expectation of Safe & Trusted Internet," reacting to the incident, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, MoS, Electronics and Technology, tweeted.

Meanwhile, it is being said that an IP address from Pakistan is behind changing the Wikipedia page entry of Indian cricketer Arshdeep Singh. According to a verified Twitter user who goes by the name @AskAnshul, the Wikipedia page of Indian Player Arshdeep Singh has been edited Khalistan deliberately added by somebody from Pakistan. He has also posted the IP address of the person who edited Arshdeep Singh's Wikipedia bio.

Arshdeep Singh faced heavy criticism after he dropped a catch at a crucial stage during a match between Pakistan and India on Sunday. Following that his Wikipedia page entry was also changed. 

"Wikipedia page of Indian Player Arshdeep Singh has been edited & deliberately Khalistan is added. Who is behind this editing & targeting Arshdeep Singh? Someone from Pakistan. Here are the IP details of the editor," Anshul Saxena added.

Wikipedia page of Indian Player Arshdeep Singh has been edited & deliberately Khalistan is added.

Who is behind this editing & targeting Arshdeep Singh?

Someone from Pakistan.

Here are the IP details of editor. pic.twitter.com/CErervW3Q2

— Anshul Saxena (@AskAnshul) September 4, 2022