Haryana: Internet suspension to continue in Nuh till August 13

The government of Haryana has extended the internet suspension in Nuh till August 13 as the situation in the violence-hit district still remains “critical and tense.” The order was passed by the Haryana Home Secretary on Friday. “Whereas it has been brought to my notice by Deputy Commissioner Nuh that the law and order situation has been reviewed and the conditions are still critical and tense in the district,” the statement read. It added, “And whereas, after assessment of the current prevailing law and order situation as well as the recommendation of the Deputy Commissioner, Nuh, I am of the considered view that there is a clear potential for disruption of public utilities, damage to public assets and amenities and disturbance of public law and order in district Nuh on account of misuse of the internet services by way of the spread of inflammatory material and false rumours, which are being/could be transmitted and circulated to the public through social media/ messaging services on mobile internet service, SMS services and other dongle services.” Before this, internet services were suspended till 8 August which were later extended till 11 August. Meanwhile, after remaining shut since 31 July when communal violence erupted in Haryana’s Nuh, schools and other educational institutions reopened in the district on Friday. Authorities have also urged Muslim clerics to offer Friday prayers at their homes and encourage people to follow suit. In the adjoining Gurugram district, Jamiat Ulama president Mufti Saleem Qasmi also appealed to people to not offer the Friday namaz at any open place and asked them to pray in mosques or at their homes. Six people, including two home guards and a cleric, died in the clashes that erupted in Muslim-dominated Nuh when a Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) procession or the Braj Mandal Yatra was attacked by mobs on 31 July. Gurugram also witnessed stray incidents of violence.