Congress MP Pradyut Bordoloi on Monday wrote to Union communications minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, seeking to know whether the Centre has “taken cognisance” of the “worrying rise” in Internet shutdowns in recent times.

The Lok Sabha MP from Assam and the recently appointed convener of the North East Congress Coordination Committee also sought information on whether the BJP-led Centre had taken cognisance of the “ramification” of the shutdowns, particularly in terms of economic costs.

Bordoloi’s letter was prompted by Sunday’s suspension of mobile data service by the Manipur government to “prevent” any disturbance of peace and public order following the burning of a vehicle by “three-four youths” on National Highway-2 in Bishnupur district on Saturday.

The arson was reported during the economic blockade in the hill districts called by the All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) in protest against the arrest of five of its leaders on Tuesday.

Bordoloi cited two independent studies to show the “stark” rise in Internet shutdowns under the BJP-led NDA government. The study carried out by the Software Freedom Law Centre showed there were only six shutdowns in 2014 but the number rose to over 100 each year after 2018, he said.

Citing another independent study by Access Now, Bordoloi said India recorded the highest number of Internet shutdowns for the fourth straight year in 2021. Of the 182 Internet shutdowns globally in 2021, India alone accounted for 106. Coup-hit Myanmar (15), Sudan (5) and Iran (5) followed India.

Border regions such as Jammu and Kashmir and the northeastern states have been particularly susceptible to such blackouts, Borodoloi said.

“Internet shutdown cannot be justified as a solution to law and order challenges — it is a disproportionate, collective punishment that violates human rights and is unacceptable in any democratic society and particularly in an age of digital economy,” Bordoloi said.

He also highlighted how the Centre continued to maintain it had no centralised data on Internet shutdowns despite MPs seeking data on state-wise shutdowns.

“This makes it difficult for elected representatives, civil society and other actors to effectively monitor and document shutdowns, and some are likely to go unreported,” Bordoloi said.

While seeking his intervention in the shutdown issue, Bordoloi asked Vaishnaw whether the government “intends” to create and maintain a centralised repository of data on Internet shutdowns and “frame” laws to regulate them.

The Manipur government’s decision to suspend mobile data service on Sunday was not the first such shutdown in the state.

The last mobile data service shutdown was imposed in Jiribam district to contain post-poll violence in March this year. Sources said the state had witnessed at least six Internet shutdowns of varying degrees since 2015.

The trigger for the ATSUM protest has been the non-tabling of the Manipur (Hill Areas) Autonomous District Council Bill, 2021, which provides more autonomy to the ADC, in the recently concluded Assembly session.

Sources said the government had reached an understanding with the protesting tribal student bodies to release the arrested ATSUM leaders to break the standoff over the ADC bill issue. Government representatives and the tribal student bodies had a marathon meeting in Imphal on Sunday to ease the tension triggered by the ADC bill issue.

They also said the Hill Areas Committee of the state Assembly comprising MLAs from the state’s hill districts, will have consultation with all stakeholders on the seventh ADC amendment bill before recommending it to the Assembly.

Sources said the situation would soon return to normal.