Mobile internet service restored in Leh
Srinagar, Oct. 11 -- A day after the Leh Apex Body and Civil society had a meeting with chief secretary Ladakh Pawan Kotwal, all remaining restrictions were lifted in Ladakh, including restoration of mobile internet services. However, the Leh district administration has invoked legal provisions to prohibit the spread of misinformation on social media platforms in the district, which had witnessed violence last month.
The mobile internet was restored in Leh on Thursday night, hours after the meeting of the Leh Apex Body, civil society members, religious heads and leaders of different political parties with Ladakh chief secretary Pawan Kotwal. The restoration of internet and release of the prisoners was the main demand put forward in the meeting.
The internet was snapped following the September 24 violence which left 4 peole dead and scores injured.
A senior officer in Ladakh administration said that mobile data services has been restored. "Shortly after the meeting with Leh Apex body, civil society and other stakeholders, the government decided to restore mobile data services in Ladakh. Now all restrictions have been lifted and Ladakh is back to normal," the officer said adding that schools and colleges are already functioning without any trouble. "Ladakh is back to normal now."
"Good news for the people of #Ladakh as internet services stand restored after constructive deliberations between civil society & the UT administration to ease tensions. The people of #Leh deserve appreciation for their patience & maturity. We urge GoI to order an Impartial judicial inquiry & release all detainees, including #SonamWangchuk, booked on baseless charges. We hope that the govt will resume dialogue on statehood and sixth schedule soon. #SaveLadakh," wrote prominent social activist Sajad Kargali on X.
Meanwhile, the government is yet to act on the another demand of the Leh Apex Body and other stakeholders about announcement of judicial probe. The government had earlier conveyed to Apex body that judicial probe would be announced.
During the meeting, chaired by chief secretary Pawan Kotwal, the local groups said that they were ready to hold talks with Centre if their demands, including a judicial inquiry into the firing on September 24, the release of all detained persons, and the restoration of mobile internet services, are met, officials familiar with the matter said.
The Thursday meeting was attended by DGP SD Singh Jamwal, LAB chief Thupstan Chhewang, co-chairman Chering Dorjey Lakruk, and Tashi Gyalson, chairman/chief executive councillor, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh, among others. Senior BJP, Congress and AAP leaders, prominent Buddhist priests, Leh deputy commissioner Romil Singh Donk and Leh SSP Shruti Arora also attended the meeting, which started with a one-minute silence as a tribute to those killed in the violence.
Dorjey said that it was the first meeting of the LAB, civil society and leaders of political parties in Leh after the clashes. "It was a confidence-building meeting which was chaired by the chief secretary and attended by all the stakeholders and religious leaders.
We told them (administration) that if the situation is to be improved then all the police excesses from September 24 till this date needs to be rectified, even today people are being harassed. There should be an independent probe by a Supreme Court judge."
Dorjey on Thursday had expressed thanks to people of the country for showing solidarity with the people of Ladakh....
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