New Delhi: Farmers raise slogans at Ghazipur border as they observe a hunger strike on Mahatma Gandhi's death anniversary, during their ongoing agitation against Centre's farm reform laws, in New Delhi, Saturday, Jan. 30, 2021.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has temporarily suspended internet services at the Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri borders, where farmers have been protesting against the new agri laws, an official said on Saturday. Apart from the three borders of Delhi, internet services will remain suspended in their adjoining areas too effective from 11 pm of January 29 to 11 pm of January 31, the official said.
The decision has been taken to "maintain public safety and averting public emergency" under Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules 2017, the official said.
Earlier on Friday, the Haryana government had ordered the suspension of mobile internet services in 14 more districts of the state till 5 pm of January 30 to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order, in the wake of the farmers' agitation against the three agriculture laws. The mobile internet services except voice calls will remain suspended with immediate effect until 5 pm on Saturday in districts of Ambala, Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Panipat, Hisar, Jind, Rohtak, Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri, Fatehabad, Rewari and Sirsa districts, an order issued by the Home Department said.
On Tuesday, the government had ordered the suspension of mobile internet services in Sonipat, Jhajjar and Palwal districts "to prevent disturbance of peace and public order" after a violent farmers' protest rocked neighbouring Delhi. The services will remain suspended in these three districts too until 5 pm on Saturday, as per the order.
Thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally in Delhi called by farmer unions on January 26 to highlight their demand for the repeal of the Centre's three farm laws.
Many of the protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and the flagstaff at the ramparts, where the national flag is unfurled by the prime minister on Independence Day.
The Haryana government ordered the suspension of telecom services (2G/3G/4G/CDMA/GPRS), all SMS services (excluding banking and mobile recharge) and all dongle services, etc provided on mobile networks except the voice calls in the territorial jurisdiction of districts of the 14 districts and extended suspension in the districts of Sonipat, Palwal and Jhajjar for next 24 hours till 5 pm on January 30, according to the order.
"This order has been issued to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of these three districts of Haryana," it added.
"Whereas it has been brought to my notice by ADGP, CID, Haryana…that provocative misinformation and fake news on social media regarding ongoing farmers' agitation has been rampant across in various districts of Haryana and there is a likelihood of disturbance of law and order, public peace and tranquillity in some districts of the state by protesters, agitators, miscreants and anti-social elements…," the order issued by the Haryana's Home Department said while announcing the suspension of the mobile internet services.
"…And whereas, there is a clear potential of public utilities, damage to public assets and amenities and disruption of public law and order in some districts on account of misuse of internet services by way of the spread of inflammatory material and false rumours…
"In order to stop the spread of disinformation and rumours and divisive propaganda through various social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, etc on mobile phones and SMS, for the facilitation of mobs of agitators and demonstrators who can cause serious loss of life and damage to public and private properties by indulging in arson or vandalism and other types of violent activities..," the order further said.
In the wake of the violence in Delhi on January 26, Haryana Home Secretary Rajeev Arora had on Tuesday issued an order to snap mobile internet services in the three districts, which are in close proximity of Delhi, to "stop the spread of disinformation and rumours through various social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter" for mobilisation of anti-social elements who can disturb the peace, cause loss of life and damage to property.
