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Hours after Congress MLA’s arrest, Haryana govt suspends mobile internet service in Nuh
Haryana government order says the suspension of mobile internet and bulk SMS services will be in effect in the district for two days to prevent “the spread of misinformation and rumours”
Hours after Congress MLA Mamman Khan was arrested in connection with the July 31 communal violence in Nuh, the Haryana government on Friday ordered the suspension of mobile internet and bulk SMS services in the district for two days to prevent “the spread of misinformation and rumours”. A government order in this regard does not mention anything about Khan’s arrest though.
“This order is issued to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of Nuh district and shall be in force with effect from September 15 (10am) to September 16 midnight,” says the order issued by the home department additional chief secretary TVSN Prasad.
Also read: Bhiwani killings: Monu Manesar sent to 15-day judicial custody
Prasad said the decision was taken after the Nuh deputy commissioner wrote to him on Thursday expressing apprehension there could be tension, agitation, damage of public and private property, and disturbance of peace and tranquillity in the district.
The additional chief secretary agreed there is a clear potential of disruption of public utilities, damage to assets and amenities and disturbance of law and order in Nuh on account of misuse of internet services. He said inflammatory material and rumours are being or could be circulated through social media and messaging services through internet, SMS and dongle services.
“In order to stop the spread of misinformation and rumours through social media platforms, such as WhatsApp, Facebook Twitter, etc. on mobile phones and SMS, for the facilitation and mobilisation 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 mobile internet has been suspended,” he said.
“...I do hereby order the suspension of the mobile internet services(2G/3G/4G/5G/CDMA/GPRS), bulk SMS (excluding banking and mobile recharge) and all dongle services etc. provided on mobile networks except the voice calls in the jurisdiction of Nuh district,” Prasad’s order reads. He emphasised the order was being issued after taking utmost care of public convenience by exempting individual SMS, mobile recharge, banking SMS, voice calls, internet services provided by broadband and lease lines of corporate and domestic households.
This ensures commercial and financial interest of the state and basic domestic needs of individuals are not affected, the order said.
Security stepped up after Mamman Khan’s arrest
Mamman Khan, the Ferozepur Jhirka Congress legislator, was named an accused in an FIR lodged after the communal clashes. He was arrested late on Thursday night, the Haryana Police said.
On Thursday the state government had informed the Punjab and Haryana high court that Khan has been named in one of the FIRs registered to probe Nuh violence. The Congress MLA had moved the court, seeking protection from “false implication” and his arrest in connection with the July 31 violence. The MLA had petitioned the high court after police had issued notice to him to join investigation. However, the Congress MLA didn’t join probe on health grounds. When the case came up for hearing on Thursday, the state government submitted that during investigation it was found that according to the tower location, the MLA was within 1.5 km from the place of the occurrence of violence on July 29 and 30, contrary to his claims.
Adequate police forces have been deployed in Nuh district following Khan’s arrest. Tight security arrangements have been made in and around the court complex where Khan is expected to be produced by the police later in the day.
The Haryana government had last month too suspended mobile Internet services in the district for several days after the July 31 violence.
A Vishva Hindu Parishad-led procession was attacked by mobs in Nuh on July 31. Six people were killed, most of them during the attack. A cleric died in a related attack on a mosque in adjoining Gurugram.
Haryana unit of Bajrang Dal quits in protest
The entire unit of the Bajrang Dal in Haryana on Thursday resigned from their posts to register their protest against the arrest of their activists Mohit Yadav, alias Monu Manesar, and Raj Kumar, alias Bittu Bajrangi. The unit accused chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar of not helping right-wing activists in connection with the Nuh violence. The activists were miffed after Khattar denied government job to a Panipat Bajrang Dal worker, who died during the Nuh violence, and the arrest of Monu, who was handed over to the Rajasthan Police in connection with the death of two Muslim men in Bhiwani. Manesar, a cow vigilante, was booked by the Rajasthan Police in connection with the murder of Nasir and Junaid and accused of inciting the violence in Nuh. He was arrested by Haryana Police on Tuesday, ending an eight-month-long hunt.
Bittu Bajrangi was granted bail by a Nuh sessions court on August 30 after two weeks in police custody. Bajrangi, who had released a provocative video a day before the Jal Abhishek Yatra, was arrested for allegedly brandishing weapons during the rally, police said. The violence soon spiralled and spread to Sohna, Palwal and Gurugram over two days.
Bajrangi was also booked for obstructing the police from performing their duty, assaulting them and fleeing after snatching weapons seized by the police from the spot. He was arrested on August 15 after a chase in Faridabad.
