There has been no internet at Delhi's farmer protest sites of Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur since January 26
Mobile internet services will remain suspended in seven of Haryana's 22 districts for another day. The order was issued by the state home department on Monday evening in view of the "critical law and order" situation amid the ongoing farmers' protest along Delhi's borders.
"The mobile internet services, bulk messaging, all dongle services, except for voice call, will remain suspended (till 5pm on February 2) in Kaithal, Panipat, Jind, Rohtak, Charkhi Dadri, Sonipat and Jhajjar districts," read the order.
The statement added that there is a "clear potential of disruption of public utilities, assets and disturbance of law and order... on account of misuse of internet services... by spreading inflammatory material and false rumours" through social media websites.
Services in seven other districts -- Ambala, Kurukshetra, Karnal, Hisar, Bhiwani, Sirsa and Fatehabad - were restored Monday evening.
The order comes on a day when Twitter blocked some 250 accounts tweeting, or retweeting, with the #ModiPlanningFarmerGenocide hashtag, and making "fake, intimidatory and provocative tweets", government sources said.
There has been no internet at Delhi's protest sites of Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur after the Republic Day tractor rally turned violent after months of peaceful protests against three farm laws. The clashes, with its epicentre at Delhi's iconic Red Fort, left one farmer dead and some 300 cops injured.
Since then, there has been a massive build-up of forces around the protest sites, especially since hundreds of farmers returned within hours of watching a widely-circulated video of Rakesh Tikait - a leader of their agitation.
Mr Tikait broke down as a massive force of security personnel gathered at the Ghazipur border, ready to drive the protesters out. "They want to destroy farmers... Either the laws will be taken back, or Tikait will kill himself. This is a conspiracy..." Rakesh Tikait said weeping loudly on TV cameras.
The teary video galvanised the farmers' movement afresh.