* Volatile situation led to order: DGP
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Sept 27: People tonight heaved a sigh of relief after the State Government restored the broadband services at around 8 pm. However, ban on the mobile internet services would be lifted at 10 am tomorrow.
Official sources said, “the Home Department this afternoon discussed the issue of lifting of ban on all sorts of internet services with the Director General of Police and after threadbare discussion on the prevailing situation and the results yielded by the ban it was decided that internet services would be restored in two phases”.
Accordingly, the MHA was requested to get broadband services restored by 8 pm today and mobile internet services by 10 am tomorrow, sources said, adding considering the request of the J&K Government, MHA approached the Union Telecommunication Ministry and issued necessary directions.
Subsequently, broadband services were restored in whole of Jammu and Kashmir at 8 pm and the mobile internet services would be restored tomorrow morning. With this decision of the Government, the people heaved a sigh of relief.
When contacted, Director General of Police, K Rajendra said, “the situation was very explosive in the State and to avoid any untoward incident we had to impose the ban”, adding “though the decision put the people of J&K to inconvenience, the ban was imposed in the larger interest of the State”.
When asked whether the ban helped the State Government, the DGP said, “situation remained peaceful in all parts of the State and I think we have succeeded in keeping check on the anti-social and anti-national elements in fomenting trouble in the State on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha”.
“We never intend to create inconvenience for the common masses but sometimes harsh decisions are required to be taken for overall benefit of the State”, he remarked.
It is pertinent to mention here that State Government had ordered termination of data services on Friday amidst the controversy over the beef ban.
Our Srinagar Correspondent adds: Police warned of action against those who make “misuse” of mobile phone, Short Messaging Service (SMS) and internet messaging service. The Police Control Room (PCR) Kashmir today morning said via SMSes: “Misuse of mobile phone, SMS and Internet messaging service to spread malicious rumours with an intention to stoke ‘communal tension’ and violent activity constitutes commission of offences under the various provisions of Unlawful Activities (Prev) Act, 1967, the Information Technology Act and Ranbir Penal Code.”
It further said that anyone who forwards such messages including through Whats App or Facebook, (including audio, photos or videos) to other individuals or groups shall be liable for legal action under law.
The SMSes were circulated among scribes including photojournalists and camerapersons in an apparent move to stop any publication or broadcasting of bovine slaughtering and to get the message conveyed.
While as authorities including police maintained that blocking internet was “only way to keep situation under control”, the anger is brewing not only among locals but telecommunication officials also expressed resentment over what they called “unwarranted move”.
A top BSNL official told Excelsior on the condition of anonymity that they have faced losses worth crores of rupees due internet blockade. “Who will compensate these losses. And who will compensate the losses our customers faced,” the official asked.
The officials of private telecommunications told Excelsior that that they also faced the losses worth crores due to shutting down of internet services. “Normally what we do is that we maintain stock for 6 to 7 days on the eve of festivals. But due to ban on data, it got stuck in the market leading losses worth crores. Not only have we faced losses here in Kashmir Valley but also in Jammu region. This is terrible,” a senior official of Vodafone said.
Meanwhile, clashes erupted between protesters and security forces at Eidgah area of downtown city here on Sunday afternoon. Witnesses told Excelsior that groups of youth attacked a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp at Sekidaffar in Eidgah area with stones and bricks ensuing clashes between the two sides.
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