Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 1: Expressing indignation over the stalling of mobile internet services besides imposing several other unwarranted restrictions in the peaceful districts of Jammu region, NPP chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh today accused the Govt of resorting to draconian moves and strong arm methods as an instrument of state policy.
Not only the internet services had been snapped for the past over 28 days but even the most credible leaders of Jammu region known for their nationalist credentials had also been placed under house arrest, lamented Singh. He said that while preventive detention of anti-nationals or those politicians supporting separatist ideology could be justified, the detention of nationalist leaders for the last around four weeks without any basis, defied all logic and rationale. He said that NDA Govt in a bid to demonstrate its powers and authority had resorted to such undemocratic moves which was not in tune with the concept of liberal democracy.
Ridiculing the argument that mobile internet ban had been imposed to prevent its misuse by anti-nationals, Singh said that it was like ordering the motor vehicles to shut down and stop plying on roads so as to prevent the accidents from happening. The Govt can’t give collective punishment to society for the sins of a handful of offenders. If there are apprehensions of misuse of internet services by miscreants, the doesn’t mean that the entire system should be made to suffer. It’s a drastic solution like throwing the baby out along with the bath water”, remarked Singh.
“The right course would be to apprehend the anti-nationals and give them deterrent punishment, with further initiatives to strengthen the cyber security. You can’t shutdown the internet services every time you receive a report that some unknown people has posted some antinational text on social media”, the NPP Chairman observed.
Asserting that internet connectivity had become indispensible in the present day set up, Singh said its stalling had adversely impacted the normal life as broadband facility was not available everywhere. He said that with students and teachers excessively dependent upon internet services for academic activities, the snapping of such services had caused immense problems in Education sector. Likewise, the social and economic life had also been thrown out of gear.
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