New Delhi: Mobile internet services, which were suspended on February 11 amid protests against the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march call by farmer unions, were restored in seven districts of Haryana on Sunday morning.
Authorities have also initiated the process of partial reopening of the Singhu and Tikri borders between Delhi and Haryana, which have been blocked since the protests began on February 13.
As the Haryana government has decided not to extend the moratorium, it will now be available in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaital, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa Mobile Internet services and bulk SMS services.
However, personal text messages, voice calls, bank text messages, and internet services provided by broadband and leased lines to businesses and homes are exempted from the shutdown due to public interest concerns.
The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha are leading the agitation for various demands, including legal guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm loan waiver.
Protesting farmers from Punjab have been camping at Shambhu and Khanauri points on the state’s border with Haryana since February 13.
Farmers’ leader Sarwan Singh Pandher said on Friday that farmers will remain at the two border points till February 29, when the next step will be decided.
(published February 25, 2024 23:11 yes)