Broadband internet services are up and running once again in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, while mobile users won’t been able to access the web on their device until 10am on September 28. The state government had ordered providers to suspend internet services for fear of a law and order situation arising during the occasion of Bakr Eid owing to the ban on beef. Accordingly, there was a complete shutdown of internet access until tonight.
A high court ruling demanded that the police make sure no one broke the 150-year-old law banning the slaughter of cows or sale of beef in Jammu & Kashmir, even during Eid. However, religious groups and separatists threatened to defy the order, claiming it interfered with the right to practice their religion. So the authorities took a route which has earned popularity of late, and clamped down on internet services starting from 5am on September 25.
If you recall, the Gujarat government had imposed a ban on mobile internet during the Patel quota unrest in August, and had done the same this month, fearing a stir after the leader of the movement (Hardik Patel) was arrested. Apart from a few clashes between small groups of youth and security forces in several areas in Jammu and Kashmir during Bakr Eid, the situation has remained peaceful. Broadband internet was reinstated at 8pm on Sunday.
The Inspector General of Police of Kashmir, SJM Gillani, informed PTI that the ban which was supposed to end on September 26, was extended only as a precautionary measure. Chief Minister (CM) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed praised the people of the North Indian state for displaying their belief in mutual co-existence. But ex-CM Omar Abdullah was pretty outspoken about his views against the three-day shutdown of services, and took to Twitter to air his opinion.
Oh the irony of listening to the PM talking about digital India while we in J&K spent 3 days totally disconnected due to his party & allies.
— Omar Abdullah (@abdullah_omar) September 27, 2015
Even the Bombay High Court had quashed pleas for an exemption from the beef ban during Eid. But unlike in Jammu and Kashmir, there was no suspension of internet services. The Maharashtra state government has more powerful forces like the proactive public, Shiv Sena and MNS to reckon with after all; not to mention the mobile operators who’d lose crores in revenue if such a ban was implemented even for a day.