To counter new ‘wave of terror’ making its way through various social networking platforms and polluting the young minds through indirect ‘coercion’ Mehbooba Mufti-led alliance Government on Wednesday directed internet service providers to block these popular platforms for a period of at least one month across Kashmir Valley.
The crack down on these social networking sites was announced a day after the Chief Minister had chaired a high-level meeting of Unified Command with an aim to discuss the future strategy of dealing with the prevailing security situation in parts of Kashmir Valley.
Among several suggestions which were discussed to contain the street anger and prevent further loss of life and public property in sporadic incidents of violence curtailing use of social networking sites was one of them.
During the meeting it was also observed by senior officers that a trend has been witnessed in regard to misuse of social media by the elements inimical to public order and tranquillity.
A three (3) page order issued by the State Home Department has directed all Internet Service Providers (ISPs) that “Any message or class of messages to or from any persons or class of persons relating to any subject or any pictorial content through the following social networking sites shall not be transmitted in the Kashmir Valley for a period of one month or till further orders.”
As per the Government directive, social networking sites to be suspended include Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, QQ, WeChat, Ozone, Tumblr, Google+, Baidu, Skype, Viber, line, Snapchat, Pinterest, Telegram, Reditt, Snapfish, YouTube (Upload), Vine, Xanga and Flickr.
The State Home Department invoked powers conferred on it under Indian Telegraph Act and Information Technology Act to suspend the internet services.
It was not immediately clear whether the order pertains to all internet services or just the mobile internet services, which are already suspended since April 17.
Banning Internet services is an old tactic often used by the State Government to prevent anti-national elements from transmitting objectionable contents to spread disaffection amongst public at large in Kashmir Valley against the State administration and the security forces, with a view to incite them to commit various offences at a large scale, cause damage to life and property and disturb peace and tranquillity. A similar trend was witnessed during long period of unrest in Kashmir Valley in 2016 in the aftermath of killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani.
The mobile internet services in the Valley were earlier snapped after sporadic protests were triggered in the aftermath of injuries caused to over 50 students inside Pulwama degree college.
While over 50 students, including girls, had been injured in Pulwama, as many as 150 students and over a couple of dozen security personnel were injured in subsequent incidents elsewhere in the Valley.
Meanwhile, reacting sharply to the ban on the internet, former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, said that the communication blockade will play havoc with J&K’s economy and students’ future. He alleged that the PDP-BJP Government is persecuting people politically and economically alike. “The blockade would play havoc with the State’s economy and in turn rendering thousands of youth unemployed,” he asserted.
He alleged that the State Government was not only suppressing the people through “brute force” but was also “persecuting” them economically.