Suspension of SMS services this time over is nothing new. Although it does deserve to be discussed as an infringement of public rights, but faced with far tougher restrictions people in Kashmir have almost taken it lying down. There is no attempt from any quarter to take government on this. At least our lawyers could have taken a legal recourse on why entire population is being put to trouble without trying alternatives that could spare some degree of trouble. Even cellular companies could become a part of that complaint as to why they don’t compensate the reduction of services monetarily. Why the monthly fee of subscribers is not reduced, if an important service is dropped from the list of services. Last time when SMS services were banned for sometime, it passed off without the government or the service providers facing any public resentment. Government even banned pre paid mobile services, which caused huge trouble, and immense economic loss to Kashmir. Media in Kashmir did criticize till the decision to lift the ban was taken. The State Government getting a sense of how harsh people were feeling about it took the matter with Union Home Ministry and got the ban lifted. That time tough norms for customer verification were laid down for the cellular companies. People had to undergo great amount of unease and economic loss, till they went through a fresh process of verification. Nevertheless, they faced it patiently and cooperated with the service providers during the entire process of verification. In the wake of fresh protests engulfing the entire valley, authorities banned the SMS service once again, some weeks ago. Since the situation was volatile none felt like speaking about it. But now with the Union Home Ministry speaking tough, it seems that the ghost of ban is lurking around. Seven telecom companies, that provide mobile services in Kashmir, have been asked to complete the verification of all the subscribers within a week. Failing compliance, service providers have been straightaway informed that their services could be closed. Now if that happens, it will throw the entire valley into a state of panic. Mobile service is now so embedded with the daily life that it’s even difficult to contemplate life without it. The social and economic cost of closing down the services is simply unimaginable. So if a warning shot has been fired, ears raising is must.

This goes without saying that any government, in any part of the world, cannot watch things go out of control hands down. Tough and timely measures are a prerogative of governments over the world. If law and order situation, or some political development, invoke extra ordinary response from the authorities in power there is no element of wonder in it. It’s all understandable, and to a degree excusable. But punishing entire population, and that too for no fault of theirs, is hardly explicable. If mobile service providers have not followed the guidelines, penalize them. Why throw a blanket that doesn’t distinguish between a wrongdoer and an innocent. As for the question of security, does it mean that on every single thing everyone in the valley is to be punished. If security agencies and the service providers cannot contain the problem areas, the fault lies with them. Taking recourse to wholesale bans depicts, on the one hand, failure of government agencies to sanitise the particular area, and, on the other hand, complete disregard of the people of Kashmir. If a miniscule percentage of mobile connections pose a security problem, security agencies and the service providers can work in tandem to sort the matter out. Banning the services altogether is a crass proposition. Does it mean that if some ‘unwanted’ elements make use of an essential service, like healthcare, all the hospitals can be one day closed down! What logic is driving things in Kashmir. One fails to fathom.
Punishment is a necessary evil

Lastupdate on : Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 13 Jul 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 14 Jul 2010 00:00:00 IST