Net ban, leaders’ detention dent claim of normalcy

Arun Joshi

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 4

The Internet ban for four months in Jammu and Kashmir that came as part of the overall lockdown in the erstwhile state on August 5, when its special status was revoked along with its statehood, tends to confirm the view of the critics that the things are not normal.

Read it with the continuing detention of political leaders, who like Pakistan are seen as troublemakers, it exposes dark spots than the bright ones that have emerged in the newest Union Territory to which J&K has been reduced to.

It is a mistake to make Pakistan central to the lifting of the Internet ban, for that snatches the narrative of normalcy taking shape on its own or by the steps that Delhi has taken to make people’s life normal.

There is absolutely no convincing answer to that if Kashmir is normal, then why the 13 million people of J&K have no access to the Internet that has harmed students, business houses and overall atmosphere of the connectivity with the rest of the world.

Politically, J&K is without the traditional groups and their activities.

The mistakes of the past, if repeated, can result in serious consequences. The history from 1953 to 1975, when Sheikh Abdullah was kept in jail, bears a testimony to that.

Banning Internet and detention of political leaders, including three former CMs, might have served some logic as the troubles were halted and the bloodbath that Pakistan had threatened was averted. But after the purpose was served, the people have argued that there is no reason for the continuation of these measures.

With strong signals of normalcy dotting the landscape with open schools, normal transport and people going about with their day-to-day life, the logic demanded that let the release of political prisoners and opening of Internet mirror the picture of full normalcy.

Unfortunately that has not happened, and the loss incurred by almost all sections in J&K owing to the Internet ban outweighs the gains that have been accrued during this period.

The whispers have grown into loud noises for lifting the ban that has affected population more than 13 million people of J&K. The mobile companies are charging the tariff for the Net data, though data is not at all there.

The official reasoning is that Pakistan will cause mischief, hence ban on Internet cannot be lifted, so it implies Pakistan holds key to the decision that otherwise is the sole prerogative of Delhi.

The narrative is changing. The Internet ban is not Valley-centric. It is hurting Jammu in equal measure. And the overuse of the argument that Pakistan is a factor preventing the restoration of the Internet is unconvincing.

Given the situation that prevailed between February 14 when 40 CRPF personnel were killed in a terror attack in Pulwama and August 5 (171 days), the Internet was not snapped and the anti-militancy operations were at their peak.

When the government asked tourists and Amarnath pilgrims to leave the Valley citing an unprecedented terrorist threat to them, the Internet continued for another 58 hours. That is a contradiction. Pakistan is a troublemaker but continued clampdown on Internet could not prevent the killing of civilians at the hands of terrorists.

The overuse of Pakistan as a factor might backfire. It is wrong to say that the normalcy in J&K is hostage to the fact is that Pakistan is being overused as a factor, and that may backfire.

‘No reason for continuation of measures’ 

Banning Internet and detention of political leaders, including three former Chief Ministers, might have served some logic as the troubles were halted and the bloodbath that Pakistan had threatened was averted. But after the purpose was served, the people have argued that there is no reason for the continuation of these measures.