48-hr internet shutdown in Itanagar over bandh to demand Pema Khandu resignation

The Itangar district’s order to shut down ‘mobile internet including wi-fi services’ came in context of a 36-hour bandh call by All Nyishi Youth Association (ANYA) from January 13 to seek chief minister Pema Khandu’s resignation

Published on: Jan 13, 2022, 24:05:50 IST

By Utpal Parashar

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GUWAHATI: The district administration in Arunachal Pradesh’s Itanagar on Wednesday ordered internet service providers to shut down “mobile internet including wi-fi services” in the capital region for 48 hours starting 5pm.

Itanagar district authorities said the ban on mobile internet was necessary “to prevent occurrence of serious law and order problems” during the proposed bandh called by ANYA to seek chief minister Pema Khandu’s resignation (Twitter/@PemaKhanduBJP)

The shutdown, which started at 5pm on Wednesday and will continue till 5pm on Friday, is in response to a 36-hour state ‘bandh’ from January 13 called by the All Nyishi Youth Association (ANYA), which is demanding chief minister Pema Khandu’s resignation on alleged corruption charges.

Stating that the ‘bandh’ call was illegal on the basis of a Supreme Court order, Talo Potom, district magistrate of Itanagar, directed BSNL and all other private internet service providers to suspend mobile internet including wi-fi services in the capital region.

In his order, Potom said that the move was necessary “to prevent occurrence of serious law and order problems” during the proposed ‘bandh’ called by ANYA.

Last month, ANYA, which is the premier youth association of the Nyishi tribe, had levelled corruption charges against Khandu and asked him to respond within 15 days.

On December 30, the association demanded Khandu’s resignation within seven days for failing to respond to the charges. On January 10, ANYA announced a decision to call a 36-hr-long strike demanding his resignation.

On Tuesday, the Itanagar district magistrate declared the strike as illegal, and banned the entry of people from outside the capital region unless they have a valid reason or a medical emergency. Potom’s order said there were reports that there will be a huge influx of supporters of bandh call from ditricts to the capital region and such influx may lead to serious law and order problems.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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