Farmers' protests: Internet services temporarily suspended at Delhi's borders

The suspension comes following the tractor rally on 72nd Republic Day that turned violent when some protesters deviated from the pre-agreed routes. The protestors also breached barricades and clashed with police. The farmers have been protesting since late November 2020, against the new agricultural laws that they say benefit large private buyers at the expense of producers.

File Photo (ANI)

New Delhi: The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Saturday (January 30, 2021) announced to temporarily suspend the internet services in the areas where the agitating farmers have camped at the outskirts of the national capital. 

"Union Home Ministry has temporarily suspended internet services in Singhu, Ghazipur, and Tikri and their adjoining areas from 11 pm of Jan 29 to 11 pm of Jan 31, to 'maintain public safety and averting public emergency'," reported ANI.

The suspension comes following the tractor rally on 72nd Republic Day that turned violent when some protesters deviated from the pre-agreed routes. The protestors also breached barricades and clashed with police, following which, the Ministry of Home Affairs had temporarily suspended the internet services in some parts of the national capital on January 26.

The government's order read, "In the interest of maintaining public safety and averting public emergency, it is necessary and expedient to order, the temporary suspension of internet services in the areas of Singhu, Ghazipur, Tikri, Mukarba Chowk and Nangloi and their adjoining areas in NCT of Delhi till 23:59 hours on January 26."

The farmers have been protesting since late November 2020, against the new agricultural laws that they say benefit large private buyers at the expense of producers. 

At the main protest site near the village of Singhu on the northern outskirts of Delhi, there was a heightened police presence on Saturday, as hundreds of tractors arrived from Haryana.

Meanwhile, the protesting farmers began a one-day hunger strike on Saturday and said that the hunger strike, that coincided with the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, would show the country that the protesters were overwhelmingly peaceful.

"The farmers' movement was peaceful and will be peaceful," Reuters quoted Samyukt Kisan Morcha's leader Darshan Pal as saying.

He added, "The events on January 30 will be organised to spread the values of truth and non-violence."

This is to be noted that over eleven rounds of talks between the farm unions and the Centre have failed to break the deadlock. However, the government has offered to put the laws on hold for 18 months, but farmers say they will not end their protests for anything less than a full repeal.