The restoration of 4G internet services in J&K is an opportunity for its people to link up with the Govt

“Gar firdaus bar-rue zamin ast, hami asto, hamin asto, hamin ast (If there is a heaven on earth, it’s here, it’s here, it’s here).” The famous words of Mughal emperor Jehangir come closest to the feeling of euphoria most Kashmiris must be experiencing after the restoration of 4G internet services in the Union Territory. In today’s world when internet, through social media, plays a critical role in shaping public perception and helping people across the globe to reach out to one another, snapping the high-speed server for long is neither workable nor sustainable. It would only exacerbate the alienation and create an undercurrent of unrest likely to erupt sooner than later. That said, it cannot be denied that such curbs are vitally important to maintain law and order, especially when volatility in the region and a rogue neighbour are involved. The services were resumed 18 months after being suspended on August 4, 2019, a day before the Centre stripped the erstwhile State of its special status and bifurcated it into the Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) and Ladakh. The Government curtailed the services on grounds of anticipated law and order problems and on the basis of intelligence inputs about possible terrorist infiltrations from across the border. Though the action drew widespread criticism from several countries, human rights organisations and the Opposition parties, the Centre showed no signs of yielding to pressure in a hurry and restarted the services only after their resumption on a trial basis in two districts — Udhampur (Jammu) and Ganderbal (Kashmir) — achieved the desired outcome. Moreover, the announcement came only after the peaceful conclusion of the grassroots-level panchayati raj elections late last year.

The resumption of 4G services is certainly a big leap towards restoring people’s confidence in the governance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. Most of the big-ticket reforms announced by Sinha for the State’s people are likely to reap rich dividends only for the BJP. The announcement of the resumption in high-speed internet services was welcomed by National Conference leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who tweeted: “4G Mubarak! For the first time since Aug 2019, all of J&K will have 4G mobile data. Better late than never.” The return of 4G services will help businesses, students, the administration as well as public and private sectors in gaining the much-needed momentum for the development of the region. However, the Intelligence agencies and the Government would closely scout for any “anti-national” activities on social media that might disturb peace, incite violence and throw the politically sensitive J&K spiralling back into violence and terrorism. The people there no longer want to live in the eerie silence that prevails following the imposition of curfews and restrictions. The Centre must prove its point that the “UT of Jammu & Kashmir has been fully integrated into the mainstream” by doing whatever it takes to maintain calm and tranquillity in the region.