The ongoing trouble over the hanging of Afzal Guru in Valley differs in one important respect from the previous unrests: it is the complete internet blockade which has severely restricted the access of a large mass of people to the information on the unfolding situation in Valley. Government has forced the shutdown of the internet on cellphones and also disconnected the internet devices of the various service providers operating in  Valley. Although the ban on internet accompanied the gag on the press, the newspapers have since been allowed to publish while the internet continues to remain blocked. This is not the first time that the government has resorted to extreme communication blockade. Last year when Valley erupted over the blasphemous Youtube video, the government had blocked access to Youtube and Facebook to prevent the users from posting content that might incite people.   J-K’s Home Department had issued an order under section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act 1885 to temporarily suspend the services. This easy recourse to ban on the internet for an extended period is troubling. The presumed government rationale behind this blockade is that the content on social sites stokes the trouble. Besides, there is an assumption of a connection between the protests on the street and the posts on social websites. Internet therefore could be granted a role in abetting the trouble on the ground. But what is also apparent from this security perspective on the situation is that internet has only a limited role which can be tackled without blocking the entire web access.   As was done last time, the government can temporarily restrict access to social sites rather than make the entire web out of bounds for one and all. This rush to sweeping communication blackout on the shaky premise of this access leading to street unrest is a wilful infringement of the people’s right to know. More so, when it has hardly helped head off the outbreak of the protests in Srinagar and the major towns.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 13 Feb 2013 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 13 Feb 2013 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 14 Feb 2013 00:00:00 IST