J-K extends ban on high-speed internet till August 19

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, July 29 

Amid growing clamour for restoration of high speed (4G) internet services, the UT administration on Wednesday decided to extend 2G speed mobile internet services in Jammu and Kashmir till August 19.

The decision came a day after the Centre told the Supreme Court that it would verify media reports quoting J&K Lieutenant-Governor G.C. Murmu saying 4G Internet speed should be restored in the UT.

The ban on high speed internet would complete one year on August 5 as the Centre abrogated J&K’s special constitutional position under Article 370 and downgraded the erstwhile state into two UTs – J&K and Ladakh last year.

In an order issued here, the principal Secretary Home department Shaleen Kabra, on the basis of the review of current situation in the Union Territory, ordered that 2G speed internet access across the J&K would be made available with certain conditions till August 19 unless modified earlier.

The order said “restrictions on access to internet through mobile data services have been necessitated” in view of its “misuse in planning and executing terror acts, including attacks on security forces, political workers and innocent civilians, propagation of ideologies inimical to the interests of the country, misguiding the youth to join terrorist ranks, communicating and coordinating with handlers across the border to facilitate infiltration”.

“The suspension of the mobile data services in specific areas and for a very limited period of time has also been authorised to prevent disruption of efforts of the security forces, during and subsequent to the operations, by various activities including circulation of videos, mobilization of crowds etc, by the Over Ground Workers (OGWs),” it read.

Justifying continuing 2G mobile internet speed in J&K, the Home Department claimed, “There are inputs suggesting rise in the anti-national activities over the coming weeks, more so in view of completion of an year since implementation of the constitutional changes viz-a-viz J&K, Independence Day celebrations, etc.”