New Delhi: Amid the ongoing farmers' protests against the new farm laws, the Haryana government on Sunday (January 31, 2021) further extended the suspension of mobile internet services in several districts till 5 pm on February 1.
The step, according to the state government, has been taken to 'prevent any disturbance of peace and public order'.
According to an official statement, the government has extended the suspension of mobile internet services in 14 districts.
The following districts will be affected due to the suspension: Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Kaithal, Jind, Rohtak, Panipat, Hisar, Bhiwani, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Charkhi Dadri, Sonipat and Jhajjar.
"The 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 the territorial jurisdiction of the 14 districts," the statement said.
"This order has been issued to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of these districts of Haryana. Any person who will be found guilty of violation of aforesaid order will be liable for legal action under relevant provisions," it added.
The suspension has not been extended in three districts namely - Yamunanagar, Palwal and Rewari districts, where the mobile internet services were snapped earlier.
"The decision was taken in the wake of the situation which had built up following incidents of violence in the national capital on January 26," PTI news agency quoted Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar as saying.
Khattar added that the decision to suspend the internet services temporarily in that situation was appropriate and would be restored once things normalise.
Earlier on Tuesday when the farmers' protests had turned violent in the national capital, Haryana had snapped mobile internet services in Sonipat, Jhajjar and Palwal districts.
Subsequently, the suspension was extended to 14 other districts on Friday.
This is to be noted that clashes took place between the police and farmers during the tractor rally in Delhi on January 26, following which the internet services were also suspended temporarily in some parts of the national capital.
