Indian IT Ministry Reportedly Asks Wikipedia to Remove Map Link Showing Aksai-Chin as Part of China

Territorial demarcations have always been a sensitive issue for all nations. At a time when India and China have been in a face-off at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) since April, a map, displayed on popular online encyclopedia Wikipedia, has misrepresented parts of Indian territory, drawing the government's attention.

India's federal Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has posted a strongly worded letter to Wikipedia's office in the US, suggesting the online encyclopedia remove the map showing the Aksai-Chin region as part of China, India Today reports.

Aksai Chin is a large disputed border area lying between India and China. While India claims the region as the eastern-most part of the union territory of Ladakh, China claims that Aksai Chin is part of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region and Tibet under its control.

The sensitive subject first drew attention after a Twitter user named Chhatrasal Singh tweeted a screenshot of the Wikipedia page showing the map and tagged the official account of India's federal Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding "strict action" be taken.

Dear @HMOIndia @AmitShah ji wikipedia is showing wrong map of INDIA.
Strict action should be taken.@M_Lekhi @bhootnath pic.twitter.com/ZeW5gXNc4j

— Chhatrasal Singh (@ChhatrasalSingh) November 25, 2020

​Taking note, the MeitY has directed Wikipedia to remove the link under Section 69A of the IT Act that refers to blocking public access to digital information. Wikipedia has been accused of violating the territorial integrity and sovereignty of India over the publication, the media reported. 

Citing sources familiar with the matter, India Today reported that the government could take legal action against the American website and also block the platform in India if Wikipedia fails to incorporate the changes.

On average, Wikipedia – one of the most visited websites in the world – has around 27 million registered users and it garners more than 18 billion page clicks every month.

In its own reports, Wikipedia claims it adds over 20,000 new articles per month.

At present, neither Wikipedia nor its parent organisation Wikimedia has addressed MeitY's letter or revealed its line of action in the situation.