News Kashmir Exclusive
In the present times of growing technology, over the past few decades the medium of Internet has emerged as the lifeline for carrying our daily chorus of life . Internet has multiple positives -We access news and other related websites to update ourselves about the current affairs, we rely on the communication platform it offers to communicate with the world. Be it using a social networking website like Facebook, twitter to post what’s happening in our lives and connecting with global audiences , or using an application like Whataspp, Skype or Viber to talk to our dear ones; web is the medium. Be it to get information or to entertain ourselves, Internet is always our first choice. Even in many places internet is used to order food and used as medium to shop in fast life of current times .
Unfortunately, the conflict ridden valley of Kashmir has suffered a lot due to frequent internet gags over the past few years and Infact has seen more gags imposed on internet than war devastated Yemen, Iraq and Syria etc . Now in latest shocker and seen as a reaction to students agitation Jammu and Kashmir government has ordered suspension of internet services in the trouble-hit valley for a period of one month or till further orders.
In an order, the Home Department has directed all ISP’s that “any message or class of messages to or from any persons or class of persons relating to any subject or any pictorial content through the following social networking sites shall not be transmitted in the Kashmir valley for a period of one month or till further orders.
As per the government directive, social networking sites to be suspended include Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp, QQ, WeChat, Ozone, Tumblr, Google+, Baidu, Skype, Viber, Line, Snapchat, Pinterest, Telegram, Reditt, Snapfish, YouTube (Upload), Vine, Xanga and Flickr.
Masses and all voices of sanity are aghast over the move . Mir Imran, a human rights activist stated – “ Frequent internet gags cripple the economy of Kashmir and also the basic rights of life . The Internet is today regarded as the largest information base. And in present times , it has become an integral part of our lives. Its access methods have also evolved over time, starting from dial-up connections, slowly graduating to broadband, developing further into wireless access, and then to cellular technology. Over the past few years to suppress the public opinion government is using the tool of internet gag very often and this is affecting livelihood of scores of youth . This E-GAG should stop and grave political issues should be dialogued rather than sentiments crushed by these dangerous gags.”
Despite the fact that state contributing a large contribution to the revenue of telecom companies, authorities have suspended internet services 29 times in J&K from 2012 to April 2017.
In a related development Jammu and Kashmir Young Journalist Association (JKYA) has threatened to launch protests against the continued internet blockade . In an important meeting at its office, during which the participants termed the continuous internet blockade as an attack on very basic right to live. JKYJA stated that E Curfew amounts an attack on bread and butter of many.
JKYJA President, Ajaz Ahmad War stated – “The continuous blockade of internet is not only hitting the journalist community but every sphere of life. Now blocking of Social networking sites like Facebook and Whataspp will prove disastrous as online world is source of earning for many spheres of life in present age of technology. If the decision is not revoked JKYJA in collaboration with likeminded organizations will hit the streets soon.”
Frequent Internet gags are definitely leaving adverse impacts on Kashmir.