Internet, bulk SMS suspended in Haryana's Nuh amid Brij Mandal Jal Abhishek Yatra on Aug 28
To curtail the spread of false information and rumours on social media, the state home department announced that mobile internet services, bulk SMS (apart from banking and mobile recharge), and all dongle services will be suspended in the Nuh district of Haryana.
- Aug 26, 2023,
- Updated Aug 26, 2023 1:19 PM IST
Due to law-and-order concerns, mobile internet and bulk SMS services will remain suspended in Nuh, Haryana, for two days after Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHp) declared that they will not cancel their religious procession on August 28 even after the district administration denied them permission to hold a Brij Mandal Jal Abhishek Yatra in Nuh, citing security concerns.
To curtail the spread of false information and rumours on social media, the state home department announced that mobile internet services, bulk SMS (apart from banking and mobile recharge), and all dongle services will be suspended in the Nuh district of Haryana.
The administration is concerned that bulk SMS and mobile internet services could be misused to rouse mobs that could cause “serious loss of life and damage to public and private properties by indulging in arson or vandalism and other types of violent activities,” they said.
The order released on August 26 reads, “It is emphasised that this order is 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, thus not affecting the commercial/financial interest of the State and basic domestic needs of individuals.”
The order is in place from 12 pm today (August 26) till August 28.
Earlier as well the Haryana government suspended mobile internet services after the breaking out of communal clashes in Nuh. When Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a religious procession, was attacked by a mob on July 31, communal violence broke in Nuh, resulting in the deaths of six persons, including two home guards and a cleric.
Surendra Jain, joint general secretary of VHP, said they will take out the procession no matter what. “We will take out the yatra as per our schedule. It is our right, and we have planned it accordingly. Our security and safety is the responsibility of the administration and police, and they should provide us the same. We can control the number of devotees if required, but we will resume the yatra,” he said.
Previously, the Nuh Deputy Commissioner had written a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary, requesting him to suspend the district's mobile internet and bulk SMS service from August 25 to August 29.
"It is brought to your notice that there is a call from Sarv Jatiye Hindu Mahapanchayat for Brij Mandal Shoba Yatra on 28.8.2023 in the district. Keeping in view of the agitation and damage of public and private property, there is an apprehension regarding misuse of social media/bulk messages for spreading rumours by bad social elements to disturb the peace and tranquillity of the society in the District Nuh. Therefore, it is necessary to suspend all the Mobile Internet and Bulk SMS services in district Nuh to avoid any untoward situation. Therefore, in the light of the aforementioned facts, you are hereby requested to issue necessary directions regarding the suspension of Mobile Internet and Bulk SMS Service from 25 August 2023 (evening) to 29 August 2023 in District Nuh," he wrote.
Due to law-and-order concerns, mobile internet and bulk SMS services will remain suspended in Nuh, Haryana, for two days after Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHp) declared that they will not cancel their religious procession on August 28 even after the district administration denied them permission to hold a Brij Mandal Jal Abhishek Yatra in Nuh, citing security concerns.
To curtail the spread of false information and rumours on social media, the state home department announced that mobile internet services, bulk SMS (apart from banking and mobile recharge), and all dongle services will be suspended in the Nuh district of Haryana.
The administration is concerned that bulk SMS and mobile internet services could be misused to rouse mobs that could cause “serious loss of life and damage to public and private properties by indulging in arson or vandalism and other types of violent activities,” they said.
The order released on August 26 reads, “It is emphasised that this order is 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, thus not affecting the commercial/financial interest of the State and basic domestic needs of individuals.”
The order is in place from 12 pm today (August 26) till August 28.
Earlier as well the Haryana government suspended mobile internet services after the breaking out of communal clashes in Nuh. When Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), a religious procession, was attacked by a mob on July 31, communal violence broke in Nuh, resulting in the deaths of six persons, including two home guards and a cleric.
Surendra Jain, joint general secretary of VHP, said they will take out the procession no matter what. “We will take out the yatra as per our schedule. It is our right, and we have planned it accordingly. Our security and safety is the responsibility of the administration and police, and they should provide us the same. We can control the number of devotees if required, but we will resume the yatra,” he said.
Previously, the Nuh Deputy Commissioner had written a letter to the Additional Chief Secretary, requesting him to suspend the district's mobile internet and bulk SMS service from August 25 to August 29.
"It is brought to your notice that there is a call from Sarv Jatiye Hindu Mahapanchayat for Brij Mandal Shoba Yatra on 28.8.2023 in the district. Keeping in view of the agitation and damage of public and private property, there is an apprehension regarding misuse of social media/bulk messages for spreading rumours by bad social elements to disturb the peace and tranquillity of the society in the District Nuh. Therefore, it is necessary to suspend all the Mobile Internet and Bulk SMS services in district Nuh to avoid any untoward situation. Therefore, in the light of the aforementioned facts, you are hereby requested to issue necessary directions regarding the suspension of Mobile Internet and Bulk SMS Service from 25 August 2023 (evening) to 29 August 2023 in District Nuh," he wrote.