IMPHAL, 24 Sep: Mobile internet services, which were suspended as ethnic violence erupted in Manipur in early May, were restored after over four months from Saturday.
The services resumed hours after Chief Minister N Biren Singh made an announcement in this regard in the morning.
He also called for cancellation of the free movement regime that allows people residing close to both sides of the India-Myanmar border to venture 16 kms deep into each other’s territory without any document.
Addressing a press conference here, Singh said, “The government had suspended mobile internet services on 3 May to check the spread of fake news, propaganda and hate speech. However, with the improvement of the situation, mobile internet services will be restored across the state from today.”
The services were restored from around 3 pm, an official said.
The chief minister said that the government will continue to deal with the influx of “illegal immigrants” and stressed the need for complete fencing of the India-Myanmar border.
“The union home ministry has taken steps to fence 60 kms of the international border in Manipur,” he said.
The CM claimed that the present situation is a result of unplanned policies of the previous governments and not an immediate aftermath of any recent decision.
“Our government has requested the union home ministry to cancel the free movement regime. Also, security forces have not properly guarded the border. Instead of being deployed at zero point, they were found guarding the border 14-15 kms inside Indian territory,” he claimed.
The CM also came out strongly against the bandh culture and incidents of “rampant verbal abuse against MLAs, ministers and police officials, which has diverted people from real issues and created conflict among ourselves.”
“Over the last two months, the situation has improved and the frequency of firing incidents has come down with the deployment of security forces in vulnerable areas,” he said.
Singh claimed that a countrywide survey has found a rise in drug and substance abuse among the youths of the state, which he said “is the reason why my government launched a war on drugs in 2018.”
“This will continue… it will be carried out more strongly to destroy poppy plantations in the hills,” he said.
Singh said that incidents of extortion, kidnappings and perpetrating other crimes by miscreants impersonating policemen have increased.
“We have to stay focused on real issues in the state, namely, dealing with influx of illegal immigrants, taking up welfare activities for internally displaced people and fighting massive poppy cultivation,” he said.
“With the objective of establishing the rule of law in Churachandpur, Kangpokpi, Moreh and Imphal, our government is taking up multiple initiatives,” Singh added. (PTI)