Manipur govt reprimands Airtel over availability of mobile internet service

The Manipur government has served a show cause notice to a private telecom company over the availability "of internet data services in mobile phones in some areas of Churachandpur and adjoining Bishnupur district on September 20" while the suspension of mobile data service is still in force, an official said.

Commissioner (Home) T Ranjit Singh, in a letter to Ashish Bansal, Chief Technical Officer, Airtel, Imphal on Thursday remarked it is "a serious lapse on the part of service provider and this lapse might have led to the dissemination of inflammatory and provocative clips and messages in various social media platforms leading to communal tension, hatred and rumours," the official said.

The letter said, "Considering the very sensitive and volatile law and order situation currently prevailing in the state, the aforesaid lapses have been viewed very seriously by the state government, and this amounts to violation of the government orders."

The state government has asked Airtel to give a written explanation of its lapses by Friday.

The state government also sought to know "who are responsible officers for such act" and "explanation as to why appropriate legal action should not be taken against Airtel for violation of government orders.