The internet services ban in place since Saturday along the Delhi border areas of Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri - the epicentres of the ongoing farmers' protest - has been extended till tomorrow, officials said today.
Lakhs of farmers have spent the past several weeks demanding that the Centre repeal three newly legislated farm laws. The situation exploded on Republic Day when protesters clashed with the police during a tractor rally that turned violent. Ever since, the farmers have only intensified their agitation.
As a result, the Union Home Ministry on Saturday ordered the suspension of internet services in these protest sites for 48 hours. The Haryana government, too, had taken a similar measure in several of its districts.
Today the Centre decided to extend the ban by a day.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of farmers' unions, yesterday denounced the move. "The government does not want the facts to reach the protesting farmers...It is fearful of the coordinated work of the farmers' unions across different protest sites and is trying to cut off communication between them. This is undemocratic and illegal," an SKM statement said.
The opposition, too, has slammed the government over the curbs.
"The #BJP Govt is hell bent upon throttling and thwarting the agitation of the farmers much to the ignominy of democracy, now the govt is imposing the ban on internet connection in and around the places of agitation. #BJPdestroysDemocracy," Congress leader Adhir Chowdhury had tweeted.
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