Finally after a three-day long ban on internet services, Jammu & Kashmir Government has lifted up its ban in the valley. As soon as internet services has been resumed, social media was flooded with antigovernment messages, protest pictures and videos.
Fearing about the misuse of the Internet services by miscreants on the eve of Eid-ul-azha celebrations, the ban on Internet services was imposed as a precautionary measure to avoid creation of communal tensions in the valley. The ban was first imposed on the morning of Eid-ul-Azha on Friday.
With the first ban coming into effect, the state government ordered termination of data services from 5 am on Friday to 10 pm on Saturday, which was later extended till 2 pm.
The reason cited for extending the ban – a precautionary measure. Observing the developments closely, former chief minister of the states of J&K – Omar Abdullah said, “While Prime Minister Narendra Modi is delivering speeches on digital India we are here completely disconnected. Ever since the coalition government of the PDP-BJP regime has come to power, they are making every attempt to push the people of the state to the wall.”
He further added, “why the PDP leader and CM Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, his daughter Mehbooba are silent on such extreme actions. Earlier, they accused National Conference government, but now have nothing to say.”
In fact, the present CM is living to his promise. He had promised to transform Kashmir like Gujarat.
The authorities banned the internet in the backdrop of the High Court order passed earlier, which banned the slaughter and selling of beef.
The rationale behind the step taken was to avoid uploading videos or pictures of any sort that could stoke communal tension. The court ruling was however viewed by separatists and religious groups as “interference in religion” and a handful of them even vowed to defy the court order.
