Re:India Shut Down Cell Service for 27M During a Manhunt
by mkathuri on Saturday March 25, 2023 @02:19PM
(#35305430)
First of all, it's not the Union government that shut down the cellular internet in the state of Punjab, its the Punjab government (led by an opposition party called AAP).
Secondly, the fugitive in question marched his followers and laid seige to a police station in the state. When the police tried to act against them, they calculatedly used the holy book - Guru Granth Sahib as a shield. They knew full well that any attack or damage to the holy book by the police action would have fanned the flames to an already controversial issue in Punjab. Read this for more info: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Guru_Granth_Sahib_desec...
Lastly, these people are trying to create a separate Sikh nation from the state of Punjab (curiously, they ignore the Pakistani part of Punjab, which has most of the religious places of Sikhs) - firstly it's against article-1 of the constitution of India, and secondly, more than 90% of the people of Punjab remain against it.
The person in question had also threatened to assassinate the Chief Minister of the state of Punjab and the Home Minister of India. You're free to criticize the government, but threatening an elected leader is an entirely different matter.
Some facts to keep in mind: Punjab is already a Sikh majority state. Time and again, India has well accommodated and respected the cultural dimensions of Sikhism through Right to freedom of religion - be it wearing of turban (no problem with it unlike some freedom respecting western countries), no helmet mandatory for Sikhs while driving (Canada allowed it only a few years ago I believe), and even keeping kirpans on their person (some countries again seem to have a problem with this).
I humbly accept the criticism that shutting down the entire mobile internet is not the correct approach in the long run, and it has been successfully argued in the Supreme Court that it goes well against the freedom of speech and huge economic losses, especially considering that the Government is promoting digitisation all across the nation.
But I'll happily accept this temporary disruption to arrest such elements than go back to the dark days of 80's when these Khalistanis ran wild and Punjab is still reeling from their damage to this day.
Lastly, I'd also like to point out that mobile internet is working now.
(Source: Living in Punjab since I was born).
Tldr: The person in question, Mr. Amritpal Singh is guilty of very serious crimes. Also, internet shutdown is not a tenable solution, but a necessary evil for now.
Secondly, the fugitive in question marched his followers and laid seige to a police station in the state. When the police tried to act against them, they calculatedly used the holy book - Guru Granth Sahib as a shield. They knew full well that any attack or damage to the holy book by the police action would have fanned the flames to an already controversial issue in Punjab. Read this for more info: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_Guru_Granth_Sahib_desec...
Lastly, these people are trying to create a separate Sikh nation from the state of Punjab (curiously, they ignore the Pakistani part of Punjab, which has most of the religious places of Sikhs) - firstly it's against article-1 of the constitution of India, and secondly, more than 90% of the people of Punjab remain against it.
The person in question had also threatened to assassinate the Chief Minister of the state of Punjab and the Home Minister of India. You're free to criticize the government, but threatening an elected leader is an entirely different matter.
Some facts to keep in mind: Punjab is already a Sikh majority state. Time and again, India has well accommodated and respected the cultural dimensions of Sikhism through Right to freedom of religion - be it wearing of turban (no problem with it unlike some freedom respecting western countries), no helmet mandatory for Sikhs while driving (Canada allowed it only a few years ago I believe), and even keeping kirpans on their person (some countries again seem to have a problem with this).
I humbly accept the criticism that shutting down the entire mobile internet is not the correct approach in the long run, and it has been successfully argued in the Supreme Court that it goes well against the freedom of speech and huge economic losses, especially considering that the Government is promoting digitisation all across the nation.
But I'll happily accept this temporary disruption to arrest such elements than go back to the dark days of 80's when these Khalistanis ran wild and Punjab is still reeling from their damage to this day.
Lastly, I'd also like to point out that mobile internet is working now. (Source: Living in Punjab since I was born).
Tldr: The person in question, Mr. Amritpal Singh is guilty of very serious crimes. Also, internet shutdown is not a tenable solution, but a necessary evil for now.