SRINAGAR: CPI (M) leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami on Saturday said the Jammu and Kashmir administration's decision to shut down the internet sporadically in several parts of Srinagar and other areas of the Valley has brought back "painful memories" of the communication blockade of August 5, 2019.
Reportedly, internet access is shut for most of the day in many areas and services resume mostly after 10 pm when they are least required.
This has hugely impacted students, who are not able to attend their online classes as the internet remains shutdown during day hours, Tarigami said in a statement.
He said people, including businessmen, doctors, media personnel and other professionals, are also suffering immensely due to sporadic shutdown of internet services.
"The 2019 communication blockade led to huge economic losses and unemployment and cost the Kashmiri economy thousands of crores while thousands of people lost their livelihood. The latest curbs on internet are bound to aggravate the situation," he said.
The Centre of August 5, 2019, had abrogated the special status of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
The CPI(M) leader said the curbs on 4G internet in Kashmir are "contrary to government claims of creating opportunities" for all citizens by harnessing digital technologies through the Digital India initiative.
It is high time that internet services are restored throughout Kashmir without any further delay, he demanded.