Economist and author Sanjeev Sanyal on Sunday flagged an attempt to alter his Wikipedia entry, accusing editors of inserting references to "revisionist Hindutva history". In a post on X, Sanyal said that a cycle of "circular referencing" is being used to change his profile — where an article is first written as a reference and then cited to modify Wikipedia content.
"They will first write some "article" to reference and then change the entry. This way of creating circular referencing is their main tool. I will leave it to the good people here to edit it back," the author said.
Sanyal's concerns come amid increased scrutiny of Wikipedia in India. In November 2024, the Indian government reportedly formally raised concerns over bias and inaccuracies on the platform, citing complaints about a small group of editors exerting disproportionate influence over content neutrality. India Today reported that the government questioned whether Wikipedia should continue being classified as an intermediary or be held accountable as a publisher.
The development came two months after a Delhi High Court criticized Wikipedia over alleged misinformation and defamatory content on news agency ANI's Wikipedia page. The court warned Wikipedia of a potential ban in India if it failed to ensure accuracy and accountability. The platform, which allows volunteers to create and edit pages, has been repeatedly accused of editorial bias in politically sensitive topics.
Sanyal, who has written extensively on Indian history, is the author of books such as 'Land of the Seven Rivers', 'The Ocean of Churn', 'India in the Age of Ideas', and 'Revolutionaries: The Other Story of How India Won Its Freedom'. His works focus on reinterpreting India's historical narratives and challenging conventional perspectives, has drawn huge support.
The global debate on Wikipedia's neutrality has intensified in recent months. Elon Musk, billionaire entrepreneur and owner of X, has accused Wikipedia of being controlled by "far-left activists" and urged people to stop donating to the platform. In October 2024, Musk shared a report by US-based news website Pirate Wires that alleged that a coordinated group of around 40 Wikipedia editors had worked to delegitimize Israel, favor radical Islamist groups, and promote fringe academic views on the Israel-Palestine conflict, particularly after the October 7 attack.
"Wikipedia is controlled by far-Left activists. People should stop donating to them," Musk posted on X.