Give reasons for not restoring 4G in J&K, SC tells Centre, UT
The HinduThe Centre and the Jammu and Kashmir administration objected in the Supreme Court on Tuesday to the idea of restoring 4G mobile Internet connectivity in the Union Territory during the COVID-19lockdown, saying it would affect national security. ‘A tool in fight against COVID-10’ The petition filed by the Foundation for Media Professionals through its president and journalist Paranjoy Guna Thakurta and represented by advocate Shadan Farasat said the “citizens in Jammu & Kashmir should not be deprived of facilities that are already available to Indians across the country, i.e., effective and speedy Internet, an indispensable tool in the struggle against COVID-19”. It said, “The restriction in respect of mobile internet speeds effectively amounts to a targeted roll-back of such rights in respects of the residents of Jammu & Kashmir.” It pointed out that Internet in J&K had been restricted for over seven months, following the abrogation of the special status of the Kashmiri people under Article 370 in August 2019. Not restoring the mobile Internet speed to 4G in J&K, in line with the rest of the country and in the light of the pandemic, on the “vague” ground of national security was a violation of the fundamental rights of life, dignity, free speech and shows non-application of mind.