Gujarat again suspends mobile internet, SMS following detention of protesting Patidar leader Harik Patel

Shivanand Jha

By A Representative
In a second clampdown in less than a month’s time on the use of internet in Gujarat, the Gujarat government has banned the use of mobile internet and SMS services in Ahmedabad and Surat cities starting at 11.00 am. An order signed by Ahmedabad police commissioner Shivanand Jha said, the services will not be available till September 20 midnight. Landline broadband, however, has been allowed to function normally.
The state government decision follows detention of Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti (PAAS) convener Hardik Patel along with his 35 followers, who began their “unity march” or Ekta Yatra, from Surat without police permission.
The police commissioner’s order says mobile service providers were being asked to discontinue “all 2G, 3G mobile internet services” as also “all SMS services”, and anyone found guilty of violating this order would be liable to action under relevant sections of the Criminal Procedure Code.
Earlier, mobile internet facility in Gujarat remained suspended for seven days starting on August 26 after Patel agitation turned violent following the arrest of Hardik Patel on August 25 after the five-lakh strong anti-government Patidar rally at Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) ground in Ahmedabad.
Earlier, the Gujarat High Court has rejected a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking declaration of mobile internet ban a violation of the fundamental right of freedom of speech. A division bench headed by acting Chief Justice Jayant Patel upheld the state government’s decision banning internet services during the Patel agitation in August as “just and proper” and in “good faith” to maintain law and order.
In his new order, the police commissioner says, since it is not possible to send notice to ban internet and SMS services directly to mobile service providers, he is sending it to newspapers, Akashvani and Doordarshan, as also to different police stations, to be displayed prominently.
Justifying the order, the police commissioner says, the PAAS decided to go ahead with its rally in Surat on September 19 despite the fact that it was not granted permission. Necessary action is being taken against the Patidar leaders, he said.
“We have to ensure that no law and order problem takes shape of the type that took place after the August 25 Patidar rally, and anti-social elements do not take advantage of the social media for spreading rumours”, he said.
Meanwhile, Alpesh Thakore, leader of the OBC, SC, ST coordination committee, said he welcomed the decision of the government to stop the Patidar rally from being taken out. “We appreciate the government’s action against PAAS leaders whose Ekta Yatra and other programmes to arm-twist the government would have resulted into caste-conflict and widespread violence,” he said.
Thakore’s new ally, Adivasi Khedut Sangharsh Manch convener Romel Sutaria, also welcomed the police action saying it was “the right step to safeguard the Constitution”. He added, “We do not mind the Patels getting reservation but not at the expense of the quota for OBCs. The reservation for OBCs is for the uplift of the socially backward communities and not just economically poor.”

Comments

Why Venezuela govt granting amnesty to political prisoners isn't a sign of weakness

By Guillermo Barreto On 20 May 2017, during a violent protest planned by sectors of the Venezuelan opposition, 21-year-old Orlando Figuera was attacked by a mob that accused him of being a Chavista. After being stabbed, he was doused with gasoline and set on fire in front of everyone present. Young Orlando was admitted to a hospital with multiple wounds and burns covering 80 percent of his body and died 15 days later, on 4 June.

Walk for peace: Buddhist monks and America’s search for healing

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* The #BuddhistMonks in the United States have completed their #WalkForPeace after covering nearly 3,700 kilometers in an arduous journey. They reached Washington, DC yesterday. The journey began at the Huong Đạo Vipassana Bhavana Center in Fort Worth, Texas, on October 26, 2025, and concluded in Washington, DC after a 108-day walk. The monks, mainly from Vietnam and Thailand, undertook this journey for peace and mindfulness. Their number ranged between 19 and 24. Led by Venerable Bhikkhu Pannakara (also known as Sư Tuệ Nhân), a Vietnamese-born monk based in the United States, this “Walk for Peace” reflected deeply on the crisis within American society and the search for inner strength among its people.

Pace bowlers who transcended pace bowling prowess to heights unscaled

By Harsh Thakor* This is my selection and ranking of the most complete and versatile fast bowlers of all time. They are not rated on the basis of statistics or sheer speed, but on all-round pace-bowling skill. I have given preference to technical mastery over raw talent, and versatility over raw pace.

When a lake becomes real estate: The mismanagement of Hyderabad’s waterbodies

By Dr Mansee Bal Bhargava* Misunderstood, misinterpreted and misguided governance and management of urban lakes in India —illustrated here through Hyderabad —demands urgent attention from Urban Local Bodies (ULBs), the political establishment, the judiciary, the builder–developer lobby, and most importantly, the citizens of Hyderabad. Fundamental misconceptions about urban lakes have shaped policies and practices that systematically misuse, abuse and ultimately erase them—often in the name of urban development.

Bangladesh goes to polls as press freedom concerns surface

By Nava Thakuria* As Bangladesh heads for its 13th Parliamentary election and a referendum on the July National Charter simultaneously on Thursday (12 February 2026), interim government chief Professor Muhammad Yunus has urged all participating candidates to rise above personal and party interests and prioritize the greater interests of the Muslim-majority nation, regardless of the poll outcomes.

When grief becomes grace: Kerala's quiet revolution in organ donation

By Vidya Bhushan Rawat* Kerala is an important model for understanding India's diversity precisely because the religious and cultural plurality it has witnessed over centuries brought together traditions and good practices from across the world. Kerala had India's first communist government, was the first state where a duly elected government was dismissed, and remains the first state to achieve near-total literacy. It is also a land where Christianity and Islam took root before they spread to Europe and other parts of the world. Kerala has deep historic rationalist and secular traditions.

Swami Vivekananda's views on caste and sexuality were 'painfully' regressive

By Bhaskar Sur* Swami Vivekananda now belongs more to the modern Hindu mythology than reality. It makes a daunting job to discover the real human being who knew unemployment, humiliation of losing a teaching job for 'incompetence', longed in vain for the bliss of a happy conjugal life only to suffer the consequent frustration.

'Paradigm shift needed': Analyst warns draft electricity policy ignores ecological costs

By A Representative The Ministry of Power’s Draft National Electricity Policy (NEP), 2026 has drawn sharp criticism from power and climate policy analyst Shankar Sharma, who has submitted detailed feedback highlighting what he calls “serious omissions” in the government’s approach to energy transition.

Beyond the conflict: Experts outline roadmap for humane street dog solutions

By A Representative In a direct response to the rising polarization surrounding India’s street dog population, a high-level coalition of parliamentarians, legal experts, and civil society leaders gathered in the capital to propose a unified national framework for humane animal management. The emergency deliberations were sparked by a recent Suo Moto judgment that has significantly deepened the divide between animal welfare advocates and those calling for the removal of community dogs, a tension that has recently escalated into reported violence against both animals and their caretakers in states like Telangana.

Search This Blog