Village-level entrepreneurs from Kashmir shouted “Azadi slogans” at a conference organised by the information and technology ministry on Monday over suspension of Internet services in the state.
Village-level entrepreneurs from Kashmir shouted “Azadi slogans” at a conference organised by the information and technology ministry on Monday over suspension of Internet services in the state.
The incident occurred at Scope Complex Auditorium, at Lodhi Road, New Delhi. These participants from the Valley were attending a function organised by the ministry, under which the government plans to throw open franchises of Common Service Centres (CSC) in the entire state.
The sloganeering took place after IT and law minister Ravi Shankar Prasad had finished his speech and left the venue of the meeting.
These participants from Kashmir were angry that the minister had left the venue without hearing their plea and hardships due to continued clampdown on Internet services.
As the participants from the Valley were sharing their problems with the media, one government official intervened and asked the reporters to stop their interaction and cover the conference. This led to heated arguments between the officials and the participants leading to chaos and sloganeering.
Some of the protesters alleged that the government’s digitisation programme was a farce as the “Kashmir Valley has seen no Internet connectivity for more than three months”. “How will you provide (digital) service without Internet connectivity ” one protester said.
“Why do you see us Kashmiris differently We have not come to eat... If we have some problem where will we share it. If you have called us, it is our right to speak. Is it a sin if we share our issues with the minister ” asked one of the participants.
The Internet services in the Valley were suspended after killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani in an encounter.
Earlier, speaking at the event, Mr Prasad said that he will write to J&K chief minister Mehbooba Mufti asking her to make more state-government services online to support the Common Service Centre. “They (CSC owners) are not getting G2C (government-to-citizen) services. I will write to Mehboobaji that I am with these kids and your government too should stand by them. They should get G2C service. I will even write to the governor of J&K,” said the minister. Mr Prasad said that when digital services touch and impact human lives in J&K then there will be new dawn in the state.
