By | Suhaib Idrees Lateef
First Internet speed was often barred whenever encounters or any synonymous activities occur. This time the internet was completely barred due to abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. It was a huge gap of 6 months and a couple of weeks ago was permitted with much lower pace in name of 2g serving speed.
However, as of now, we are seeing the world has been under the continuous transformation of COVID-19 and is fighting to it with much effort of lockdown position and curfews. A similar situation is in our Valley where the whole of the state has been shut after Kashmir reports ist death news in the Downtown area of Srinagar.
The barring of internet move, as always, was to apparently prevent the spread of rumours and all that incitement to violence regarding Article 370.
But the things have turned different now, taking a different shape in view of Deadly Corona Virus. The whole of the Globe, the developed countries like USA, Europe, UK, China, Italy, South Korea and other major countries including India and our state are fighting the Pandemic. In fact, the pandemic has ceased and engulfed us.
But what is the need of the hour for our state is the restoration of full-fledged internet. As we all know the Internet and Social media has become the spine of all the issues weather politics, social, moral or our health-related. If we go for reality checkouts and facts, the Internet can turn a backbone in making us aware, sharing the good and updated videos or informative lectures regarding the deadly Pandemic. Indeed, the Internet can turn a good source for the public to awake and to remain conscious about the deadly infection and can even stop the mortal pandemic.
But,
Why is our administration taking is as such and facile? Alas!!
How can they play politics over it?
How the Administration can put a huge of the mass population at stake?
The irony is that Doctors and paramedics on one side, are receiving help from the internet regarding the deadly and fatal Corona in developed countries as online Doctor Consultation to treat the Corona patients while some our medical staff and we as part of largest democracy are still missing and misleading it.
How come out Government be so fragile?
It is not like I am talking of the Internet only for Coronavirus disease. Its long term and short term effects and uses for students, teachers, professionals when they have been out of their Educational hubs when all schools and All our educational institutes have been closed in view of this fatal Virus. Where will the students go? What about their studies? What about the research of professionals that were in underwork consideration?.
It is not only a single source of information but much important part of information as every purpose needs it.
Every source needs it to update the latest and good information and every user finds it facile and comfortable as they get the best and latest instructive data through it.
As the 21st-century advances and as the ubiquity of the internet demonstrates, knowledge regarding everything and even immediate updated information is being commoditized. To keep it under control and keep people custodial for it even at this time is a fool’s idea.
Students, professionals, businessmen and other assorted individuals, for whom do you think, the internet is not an immediate necessity.
The deadly virus is killing us and we are in its mouth like a tikky bomb with a shortage of internet. What kind of injustice is this?. It simply lines that Government is stocking millions of lives at stake at this crucial and critical time.
The government should leave the conflict aside, This time people are onerous and laborious for their lives. It puts a question mark to our rights as well.
The right to life and health are universally recognised and are a fundamental part of our understanding of a life with dignity. Internet and social media can prove much beneficial and advantageous about the disease, can make people aware and cautious to live in isolation, maintaining of social distancing and to remain confined to home-quarantine and self-quarantine. The Government must understand and fathom about it to save us, to save a mass of population from this deadly, malignant and pernicious Disease.
(Author is a student of SSM College of Engineering and Technology and can be mailed at idreesdalal865@gmail.com )
