Crackdown on Amritpal Singh: Punjab extends suspension of mobile internet services until Monday noon
NewsCitiesChandigarhCrackdown on Amritpal Singh: Punjab extends suspension of mobile internet services until noon Monday In accordance with an official order from the State Home Ministry, all mobile internet services (2G/3G/4G/5G/CDMA /GPRS), all SMS services (excluding banking and mobile recharge) and all dongle services provided over mobile networks, except voice calls, within the territorial jurisdiction of Punjab will additionally be suspended from noon Sunday to Monday noon in continuation of Friday’s order. The Punjab government is extending the mobile internet suspension amid concerns over the self-proclaimed Sikh preacher and his associates. (File Representational Photo)Listen to this Article Your browser does not support the audio element.
Amid its crackdown on self-proclaimed Sikh preacher Amritpal Singh and his associates, the Punjab government on Sunday extended a statewide suspension of mobile internet services for another 24 hours. The radical leader is currently on the run.
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In accordance with an official order of the State Ministry of Interior, all mobile Internet services (2G/3G/4G/5G/CDMA/GPRS), all SMS services (excluding banking and mobile top-up) and all dongle provided over mobile networks, except for voice calls, within the territorial jurisdiction of Punjab will additionally be suspended from Sunday noon to Monday noon in continuation of Friday’s order. The initial decree suspended services from Saturday noon to Sunday noon.
“Considering that the Director General of Punjab Police has pointed out to me that certain sections of society are likely to threaten public order by inciting violence, while also resorting to widespread violence with the aim of inflaming and to cause communal tension, to obstruct or injure persons, danger to human life and property, disturbance of public peace and tranquility thereby threatening public safety and public order in the state of Punjab “, we read in the order.
He added, “Considering that the Director General of Punjab Police has further brought to my notice that these sections of the society make extensive use of social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc. as well as the short message service (SMS) for the dissemination of inflammatory material and false rumors, to provoke the mobilization of crowds of agitators and protesters, to mobilize their own manpower and resources for their anti-national activities.
“There is a clear persistence of the potential for threat to public security, disruption of public services, damage to public property and facilities and disruption of public order in the state of Punjab due to the misuse of mobile internet services, SMS services and other dongle services. He also flagged the “imminent need to curb the spread of misinformation and rumors via social media platforms” which could “cause the mobilization of crowds of agitators”.
