Accusing the J&K administration of violating the Supreme Court orders by prolonging the ban on high speed mobile internet services in J&K with latest extension till March 4th, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh JKNPP Chairman and former Minister lambasted it for working hand in glove with the telecom companies to further continue with its policy of suppression and facilitating organized loot of millions of mobile subscribers. “Not only the people are restricted from accessing mobile internet services by the government but they are also robbed of their hard earned money by the telecom service providers”, angry Harsh said. He was addressing a press conference in Jammu today.
Asserting that the Supreme Court orders passed in January this year directed the J&K administration to review curbs on mobile internet services to restore it in the manner it was before 5th of August 2019, Mr. Singh pointed out that apex court categorically declared that the freedom of speech and the freedom to practice any profession over the medium of internet enjoys constitutional protection, and it also held that the suspension of internet services can be ordered only for temporary duration under Telecom Services rules. “Resumption of 2G services on mobile phones has made a mockery of the users as it is exceptionally feeble, slow and disallows access to all the sites. While the students still continue to suffer, the commercial houses, the traders, the businessmen, the professionals and the media fraternity have incurred huge losses worth crores. “Why the nationalistic Jammu region has been put under siege? Why should our people suffer for the sins committed in Kashmir?”, questioned Harsh. Expressing his indignation over the government’s tactics of repression and organized extortion, Mr. Singh asked if it felt that the restoration of the full fledge mobile internet services would re -activate the anti national elements, then why had it refrained from pressing into service the abundantly available paraphernalia equipped with high tech gadgets to check the cyber crime.
Asserting that it was nothing short of a scam, Mr. Harsh Dev Singh held telecom companies culpable of charging millions of subscribers in J&K without providing the mobile internet services to them. “This trend of loot and plunder has been going on since 5th August, 2019. In view of these companies hiking their tariffs of late, the volume of extortion is beyond imagination. People have been blatantly robbed with no one to take cognizance. It seems that the administration has connived with the telecom giants to siphon and swindle the hard earned money of the mobile users. Should subscribers not get the refund for having been kept deprived of mobile internet services despite making payment for actual tariff plans?”, questioned Harsh. He regretted that instead of tracking and apprehending the criminals, the J&K administration has once again decided to extend the mobile internet ban while the telecom service providers continued to cheat their consumers with hefty charges.
Questioning the criminal silence of the Jammu based BJP leaders on the sensitive issue, he demanded immediate resumption of the 4G mobile internet services in Jammu region. “Prolonged internet blockade of this kind has never happened before. BJP after assuming power resorted to the nasty policy of coercion and oppression. The government should tighten its security network and the telecom companies should stop looting the people. Panthers party would be forced to launch a huge stir if full fledge high speed mobile internet services are not restored at the earliest and the mobile subscribers are not given refund against the non utilization of services despite payment made by them”, warned Harsh.
Surinder Chouhan District President Jammu (Rural) of JKNPP, Nirmal Kishore, Gurdeep Singh Raju and M.S Thakur were also present in the press conference.