CAA protests: Situation improves drastically in Assam, internet services restored

Internet services, which were suspended across Assam on December 11 in view of the ongoing protests over the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), was restored on Friday. Internet services were suspended after massive protests had erupted across the state over the amended citizenship law.

On December 16, the suspension of internet services was extended for another 24 hours in 10 districts, including Lakhimpur, Tinsukia, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat, Kamrup (Metro) and Kamrup. Assam Police had reported that the situation has improved drastically in the region.

READ | Mobile Internet Services In Assam To Be Restored On Friday

"The situation in the State has improved immensely. We thank the people of Assam for following the spirit of the law. Day curfew has been withdrawn in Guwahati from 0600hrs of December 16. Night curfew would remain from 2100 hrs till 0600 hrs next day," Assam Police tweeted.

Meanwhile, mobile internet and SMS services have been suspended in Lucknow till December 21 amid CAA protests.

READ | CAA: Guwahati HC Directs Assam Govt To Restore Mobile Internet Services

HC directs govt to restore internet service

The Gauhati High Court had directed the Assam government to restore mobile internet services by 5 pm on Thursday. A division bench of Justices Manojit Bhuyan and Saumitra Saikia gave the direction after hearing four PILs filed by journalist Ajit Kumar Bhuyan and advocates Bonoshri Gogoi, Randeep Sharma, and Debakanta Doley. Mobile and broadband internet services were suspended on the evening of December 11, following incidents of violence during protests against the amended Citizenship Act. Broadband services have already resumed in Assam. The court observed that it is open to the state authorities taking steps to curb the dissemination of "explosive messages, video" on various social media platforms which may have a tendency to incite violence and destructions affecting public safety.

READ | Congress' Harish Rawat Joins Protest Against The Citizenship Amendment Act In Assam

On Wednesday, the state industry minister Chandra Mohan Patwary said Popular Front of India’s state unit chief Aminul Haque has been arrested in connection with involvement in the attack on the Dispur secretariat (Janata Bhawan) on December 11. The minister had also said that curb on mobile internet will continue for some time as the situation is not yet congenial for the restoration of the services. 

READ | VCs Of Assam Varsities Appeal For Peace And Harmony

(With inputs from ANI)