Agnipath protests: Internet suspended in 12 Bihar districts till June 19

Bihar was the first state where protests broke out against the Agnipath scheme, following which the agitation rapidly spread to other states in the country.

Internet services were temporarily suspended in 12 districts of Bihar – Kaimer, Bhojpur, Aurangabad, Rohtas, Buxer, Nawada, West Champaran, Samastipur, Lakhisarai, Begusarai, Vaishali and Saran – in the wake of the ongoing violent protests against the Centre's Agnipath scheme. According to an order issued by the Bihar government, the suspension will remain in place till Sunday (June 19).

Protester vandalise railway property at Danapur Railway Station during a protest against the Agnipath scheme, in Patna, on June 17, 2022.  (Santosh Kumar /HT Photo)

“It is reasonably apprehended that some anti-social elements in Kaimer, Bhojpur, Aurangabad, Rohtas, Buxer, Nawada, West Champaran, Samastipur, Lakhisarai, Begusarai, Vaishali and Saran are using internet medium to transmit objectionable content in order to spread rumour at large with a view to inciting public and cause damage to life and property and disturb peace and tranquility,” the statement said.

It added that all internet service providers (ISPs) have been directed that any messages to or from any person or class of persons relating to any subject or any pictorial content through social networking sites or applications, including WhatsApp, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Skype and Snapchat shall not be transmitted in these 12 districts till June 19.

The order, however, will not apply to government intranet and internet-based services, including banking and railways.

The state government also said that those in violation of the order will be dealt with relevant provisions of the law.

Bihar was the first state where protests broke out against the Agnipath scheme, following which the agitation rapidly spread to other states in the country.

On Friday, deputy chief minister Renu Devi's house in Bettiah district was attacked by protesters. Hours later, she came out in support of the scheme and accused opposition parties of 'misleading students' and that their goons were destroying public property.

The house of Bihar Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Sanjay Jaiswal was also attacked but he said the miscreants were not protesters and had come intending to blow up the building.

A day ago, BJP MLA Aruna Devi was injured in a stone-pelting incident at Nawada, where the party office was also torched by a mob.