The Tripura government has shut down Internet services for 48 hours ahead of the statewide protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.
In a home department notification, additional secretary A.K. Bhattacharya said, “…it has been reported by the director-general of police, Tripura, that rumours are being mongered about ethnic clashes between tribal and non-tribal in Manu and Kanchanpur areas. This has created a violent situation in the area. It has been noticed that SMS, WhatsApp and social media platforms like Facebook, twitter and YouTube are being widely used for transmission of fake images and videos as well as text messages which have potential to incite violence in the state at a larger rate.”
The notification reads: “…such aforesaid incidents have generated serious law and order situation prevailing in the entire state having a potential threat to public safety. Therefore, in order to prevent the misuse of the above mentioned media to disturb the peace and tranquillity of the entire state and for maintaining the law and order situation.”
It also read that, “…it is hereby directed to promulgate this notification under the provision of Section 5 (2) of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885, to prohibit the following types of media for the next 48 (forty eight) hours beginning from 1400 hours on December 10 in the entire state of Tripura — SMS messages of all mobile service providers, (W) mobile Internet/data service of all mobile service providers. This prohibition shall be applicable to press messages also. Violation of this promulgation will be punishable under Section 188 IPC and also under the relevant provisions of the Indian Telegraph Act, 1885 and the Temporary Suspension of Telecom Services (Public Emergency or Public Safety) Rules, 2017.”
The chief secretary of Tripura, Manoj Kumar, also confirmed that the state government has shut down Internet services in the state.
Protesters participating in a bandh called by the North East Students’ Organisation (Neso), set Manughat market, where shops are owned mostly by non-tribals, on fire in Dhalai district on Tuesday, police said.
However, no one was injured and the blaze was doused, a senior police officer said.
“Security forces have been deployed but the incident has created fear among the non-tribals who owned most of the shops,” the officer said.
The bandh has evoked a massive response in the tribal areas, he added.It threw normal life out of gear in Dhalai, West Tripura and Khowai districts with residents remaining indoors while attendance at offices was thin, the officer said. Train services in the state came to a complete halt and vehicular movement was affected, he added.
Bandh supporters blocked an important road near Astable Ground here at 9.30am, stalling traffic.
“Around 300 agitators were detained peacefully after 45 minutes of their demonstration,” the officer said.
The legislation seeks to grant Indian citizenship to religious minorities of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh who are fleeing persecution there, was passed in the Lok Sabha with 311-80 votes. However, Home Minister Amit Shah announced in the Parliament on Monday that areas under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTADC) will be exempted from the ambit of the Bill.