Kashmir’s internet ban turns into a ‘whodunit’
SRINAGAR: For about four months last year, Kashmir reeled under a mobile internet ban clamped to tamp down on rumours and controversial videos that fanned snowballing unrest in the Valley.
Prepaid mobile phones, a select batch of landline numbers and even fixed-line broadband services were occasionally snapped as authorities struggled to contain clashes that left nearly 100 dead and thousands injured. The ban triggered widespread condemnation and criticism that the government was infringing fundamental rights.
But who ordered the clampdown? Two arms of the state government responsible for law and order — the home department and the divisional commissioner’s office — deny ordering any shutdown on July 9 last year.
The revelation came in response to Right to Information queries filed by the Srinagarbased Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society (JKCCS).
The state government usually takes decisions on withdrawing internet services to maintain law and order. “The information given in the RTI will be checked,” a Union home ministry spokesperson said.
The divisional commissioner, Kashmir and principal secretary, home department, couldn’t be reached for comment.
The RTI was filed by the JKCCS to the state’s home department, asking for a copy of the order by which phones, internet, mobile phones, mobile internet and landline phones were shut down from July 9, 2016 and a list of landline numbers shut.
But the home department wrote to the divisional commissioner, Kashmir’s office saying the “subject matter of information sought pertains to your department, therefore, the application is forwarded to you…”
In his response, public information officer of the divisional commissioner’s office, Noor Mohammad, wrote “no such order was issued by this office ”.
“It seems state is not run by the civil administration but by some invisible force. They have a right to know under which law telecommunication services blocked,” Khurram Parvez, JKCCS programme coordinator said.
Over the past year, such suspension has become common in Kashmir that is currently under another shutdown following the killing of militant commander Sabzar Bhat – the fourth this year. Authorities feared largescale unrest after Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani died and immediately snapped mobile internet services.
They were restored on postpaid numbers in mid-November, while on pre-paid it returned in January.
ORDER BANNING MOBILE INTERNET SERVICE IN 2016 WAS NOT ISSUED BY HOME DEPT OR DIVISIONAL COMMISSIONER