MHA orders temporary internet suspension in Singhu for ‘public safety’

The Ministry of Home Affairs issued an order calling for the temporary suspension of telecom and internet services till February 2, 11 pm in Singhu, Ghazipur, Tikri and their adjoining areas in New Delhi in light of the continued farmers’ protests. The order stated that this was necessary to “maintain public safety and averting public emergency.”

This is not the first time that internet has been temporarily suspended in the capital because of the farmer protests. On Republic Day, protesting farmers from Punjab and Haryana embarked on a tractor rally to the Red Fort to express their dissatisfaction with the Farm Acts and internet was suspended for 12 hours in various parts of the capital city. Thousands of farmers clashed with the police during this rally and some protestors hoisted religious flags in one of the flag polls of the Red Fort.

On January 29, the police charged at the crowd with batons and used tear gas to break up clashes between the protesting farmers and locals who demanded that farmers must vacate the Singhu border and alleged that they had insulted the national flag during the tractor parade on Republic Day. The police had fired 30 tear gas shells and the farmer union volunteers were able to stop the locals before things turned too violent.

Farmers across the state of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh have participated in the protests against the controversial farm laws to express solidarity with the farmers who have been protesting since November 28, 2020. Thousands of farmers from Haryana and Punjab have been protesting in various parts of Delhi demanding a complete repeal of the farm laws and a legal guarantee on minimum support price that would ensure a fair price for their crops.