Kolkata: Internet and Voice over Internet Telephony (VoIP) have been suspended in some areas of Birbhum district in West Bengal till March 17 after clashes broke out between two communities on Holi day, police said.
“There was a clash between two groups in Sainthia town on Friday. We have arrested 21 people. The situation is now under control,” said a senior police officer of the district.
Internet and VoIP have been suspended in Saithia town and five other village panchayats including Hatora, Mathpalsa, Harisara, Dariyapur and Fulur from March 14 to 8 am of March 17.
The state home secretary issued an order on Friday stated that “in view of the recent events in some areas internet transmissions and VoIP may be used for spreading rumor for unlawful activities . . . And whereas, examination of the information received gives reasons to believe that such unlawful activities are likely to occur in the absence of unlawful activities.”
The order stated that “Any data related message of class of messages, to or from any person or class of persons, to or from any telecommunication equipment or class of telecommunication equipment or relating to any particular subject, brought for transmission by, or transmitted or received by any telecommunication service or telecommunication network under the Telecommunications Act, 2023, shall temporarily not be transmitted in the interest of maintaining public order and preventing incitement to the commission of any offence within Saithia town, Hatora GP, Mathpalsa GP, Harisara GP, Dariyapur GP and Fulur GP under Birbhum police district.”
This triggered a political row with leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stepping up their ante against the Trinamool Congress-led government in West Bengal alleging that law and order have deteriorated in the state.
“This restriction on Internet services is not only an evidence of deterioration of the Law & Order Situation in the State, but also an acceptance of incapability on the part of the Administration to control the situation. Not only Birbhum, skirmishes took place in Tamluk, Nandakumar and various other places across West Bengal. The West Bengal Government are trying their best to hide the events of communal flare ups to save their face,” Suvendu Adhikari, BJP legislator and leader of the opposition in the state legislative assembly, wrote on X on Saturday.
He also urged the office of the Union home minister and West Bengal governor to seek a report on the alleged deterioration of law and order in the state.
“The Union home ministry recently withdrew the central security cover of 32 BJP leaders in West Bengal. This manifests the high degree of safety features and that there is no concern of safety and security in the state. There have been instances from BJP-ruled states too such as Manipur, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, where internet had to be temporarily suspended,” said Jay Prakash Majumdar, TMC state vice-president and spokesperson.
