CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government on Monday further extended the suspension of mobile internet services till 5 pm on February 2 in seven districts of the state "to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order" amid protests by farmers against three new farm laws that witnessed violence earlier this week.
According to an official statement issued here, 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 voice calls in seven districts -- Kaithal, Panipat, Jind, Rohtak, Charkhi Dadri, Sonipat and Jhajjar till 5 pm on February 2.
This order is issued to prevent any disturbance of peace and public order in the jurisdiction of these districts of Haryana and shall be in force with immediate effect. Any person who will be found guilty of violation of aforesaid order will be liable for legal action under relevant provisions, it said.
The suspension of mobile internet has not been extended in Ambala, Bhiwani, Sirsa, Fatehabad, Kurukshetra, Karnal and Hisar, where it was suspended until 5 pm February 1. On Sunday, the government had also not extended suspension of mobile internet in Yamunanagar, Palwal and Rewari districts, where the mobile internet services were suspended until 5 pm of January 31.
Commenting on the suspension of mobile internet services in some Haryana districts, Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar had on Sunday said 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.
Khattar had said mobile internet had been suspended in some districts for a temporary period and will be restored once the law and order situation returns to normal. The government had on January 26 ordered the suspension of mobile internet services in Sonipat, Jhajjar and Palwal districts after a violent farmers' protest rocked Delhi.
On Friday, it had extended the suspension to some other districts. Thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally in Delhi called by farmer unions on January 26 to highlight their demand for the repeal of the Centre's three new farm laws.
Many protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument. Some protesters even hoisted religious flags on its domes and the flagstaff at the ramparts, where the national flag is unfurled by the prime minister on Independence Day.