The Manipur administration on Saturday extended the ban on internet services in the state for an additional five days until May 31 in response to recent acts of violence. The internet censorship was extended on the same day that General Manoj Pande, the Chief of Army Staff, arrived in Imphal in preparation for Home Minister Amit Shah’s planned three-day visit to the state-of-war.
With the most recent extension, residents of Manipur will inadvertently be cut off from the internet for close to a month due to the unrest. Fresh violence broke out in Bishnupur, Manipur, earlier on Thursday, leaving one person dead and another injured.
The state home department declared last week that the internet block would last until May 26 in an order dated May 21. To stop the ‘spread of disinformation and false rumours, through various social media platforms such as Whatsapp, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.,’ the restriction was extended.
‘There is apprehension that some anti-social elements might use social media extensively for transmission of images, hate speech and hate video messages inciting the passions of the public, which might have serious repercussions for the law-and-order situation in the state of Manipur,’ the order had stated.
After extensive violence broke out as a result of disputes between tribal people and non-tribal people in the state on May 3, the internet ban was first put in place. 73 people have died as a result of the violent fights, and 230 more have been wounded.
1,700 homes in the state were destroyed by arson by criminals.
Protests against the proposed change to the state’s reservation system, which would have given Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the majority Meitei population in Churachandpur town, began on May 3.
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