Farmer protest: Mobile internet curbs brought down to two Haryana districts

The Haryana government lifted mobile internet curbs from three more districts even as the services will continue to remain suspended in Sonipat and Jhajjar districts

The Haryana government on Thursday lifted mobile internet curbs from three more districts even as the services will continue to remain suspended in Sonipat and Jhajjar districts of the state till 5 pm on February 5, an official statement said.

The mobile internet services were suspended in some districts of the state "to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order" amid a protest by farmers against three agricultural laws.

Haryana Government has extended the suspension of mobile internet services (2G/3G/4G/CDMA/GPRS), SMS services (only bulk SMS) and all dongle services etc. provided on mobile networks except the voice calls in two districts namely Sonipat and Jhajjar till 5 pm on February 5, the statement said.

The order has been issued to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of these districts of Haryana and shall be in force with immediate effect.

Any person who will be found guilty of violation of aforesaid order will be liable for legal action under relevant provisions, the order stated.

While the mobile internet suspension was extended in 17 districts after putting these curbs initially in three districts by February 3, it remained in place only in five districts -- Kaithal, Jind, Rohtak, Sonipat and Jhajjar.

However, as mobile internet continues to remain suspended in Sonipat and Jhajjar, the two districts near protest sites of Singhu and Tikri borders, the restrictions in the remaining three districts have been lifted.

The government's move to suspend mobile internet services in 17 districts earlier and later on keeping these suspended in a few places led to protests by farmers in the state.

Opposition parties had also condemned the curbs on mobile internet in some parts, saying the move would affect the students who were preparing to appear in final exams.

On January 26, the state government had ordered suspension of mobile internet services in three districts near Delhi after violence broke out during the farmers' tractor parade in the national capital on Republic Day.