Citizenship Amendment Act protests: Authorities extend internet suspension in Assam till Monday to curb 'misuse' of social media

Guwahati: Internet services across Assam will remain suspended till 16 December to prevent alleged misuse of social media in disturbing the peace and to maintain law and order in the state, officials said on Saturday. [caption id=“attachment_7774411” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of anti-Citizenship Act protestors throwing stones as they clash with the police. PTI[/caption] Suspension of internet services has been extended for another 48 hours keeping in view the prevailing law and order situation in the state, additional chief secretary (home and political department) Sanjay Krishna told PTI. These services have been suspended as “social media platforms like Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter and YouTube, etc are likely to be used for spreading of rumours and also for transmission of information like pictures, videos, and texts that have the potential to inflame passions and does exacerbate the law and order situation”. Internet services were suspended on Wednesday initially for 24 hours in ten districts of the state and then extended for another 48 hours across the state, scheduled to expire this afternoon. As the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill was cleared by Parliament, violent protests broke out in the state with agitators engaging in pitched battles with the police, forcing the administration to impose curfew in several places. The legislation has put the Northeast on the boil as people fear that it may exacerbate the problem of illegal immigration