The ban on mobile internet services was lifted in Assam on Friday, 10 days after authorities placed the restrictions amid violence in the state during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Mobile operators BSNL, Jio and Airtel have resumed services in the state.
A senior official of private telecom operator Airtel told news agency PTI that the ban was lifted from 9 am on Friday. “As we did not received any fresh order to continue with the blackout, we have lifted the ban from 9 am,” he said.
Mobile internet services were suspended on December 11 in select districts as violence raged in the state against CAA and the ban was subsequently extended to all of Assam.
Meanwhile, protests have come to a calm in Assam’s Guwahati, which had been a hotbed for demonstrations against the citizenship law.
The curfew imposed in Guwahati, the gateway to the Northeast, on December 11 in the wake of protests against the citizenship law was also lifted on Tuesday following improvement in law and order situation.
No fresh incidents of violence have been reported in Assam since the past few days.
However, educational institutions continue to remain shut in the state which saw one of worst violence-hit protests.
Following days of widespread unrest in Assam due to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal said on Friday that he respected democratic rights of citizens but not the violence committed in its name.
“I and my government respect all the protesters including students, activists and media personalities who are agitating for democracy, but we do not support the violence that was being committed on the sidelines of it,” Sonowal told reporters in Guwahati.
“We believe in democracy and non-violence, and the ones disturbing peace are the actual enemies of the state.”
Referring to rumours being spread across the state regarding the outcome of the CAA, Sonowal said that it was not correct to spread false information which only leads to further unrest.
He further assured the people that no one can steal their rights and maintained that there is no threat to their language or identity. He added that the CAA will in no way affect the honour of Assam
Assam witnessed violent protests against the Act with three rail stations, a post office, a bank, a bus terminus, shops, dozens of vehicles and many other public properties being set ablaze or damaged by the protesters. Five persons have lost their lives in the stir since December 11.