Amidst the ‘Delhi Chalo’ agitation by farmers, the Haryana government has decided to prolong the prohibition of mobile internet and bulk SMS services in seven districts until Wednesday. The affected regions encompass Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad, and Sirsa. The government’s earlier extensions on February 13, 15, 17, and 19 underline the persistence of this measure.
In a directive issued by Additional Chief Secretary of Haryana, T V S N Prasad, he articulated, “Following an assessment of the prevailing law and order scenario in the state, conditions remain critical and tense in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad, and Sirsa districts.”
Prasad emphasized the imminent threat of disruptions to public utilities, potential harm to public assets, and the disturbance of public law and order in the aforementioned districts. He attributed these risks to the misuse of internet services, specifically through the dissemination of inflammatory content and false rumors.
The order, executed under Section 5 of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, and Rule 2 of Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules 2017, encompasses the extension of the suspension of mobile internet services. Bulk SMS services, with the exception of banking and mobile recharge, and all dongle services on mobile networks, excluding voice calls, within the jurisdiction of the seven districts, will persist until February 21.
The extension aims to preemptively forestall any disturbance to peace and public order and is scheduled to remain in force up to February 21. Protesting farmers continue to occupy positions at Shambhu and Khanauri points on Punjab’s border with Haryana, following the disruption of their ‘Delhi Chalo’ march by security forces, resulting in clashes last week.
On Monday, farmer leaders participating in the agitation rejected the government’s proposal to procure pulses, maize, and cotton at MSP for a period of five years. They deemed the proposition not aligned with the farmers’ interests and declared their intention to march towards the national capital on Wednesday.
During the fourth round of talks with farmer leaders on Sunday, a panel of three Union ministers suggested the procurement of pulses, maize, and cotton crops by government agencies at minimum support prices for a five-year period, subject to an agreement with farmers.
Apart from seeking a legal guarantee of MSP, the farmers are advocating for the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission’s recommendations, pension for farmers and farm laborers, farm debt waiver, no escalation in electricity tariffs, withdrawal of police cases, and justice for the victims of the 2021 Lakhimpur Kheri violence. They are also pressing for the reinstatement of the Land Acquisition Act, 2013, and compensation for the families of farmers who lost their lives during the previous agitation in 2020-21.