The government justifies the internet blackout as a measure to counter misinformation while tensions between farmers and police intensify, but experts and detractors are raising concerns that this widespread digital prohibition signals a disturbing move towards authoritarianism before the upcoming general election.

Since February 13, farmers from Punjab and Haryana have persistently protested, demanding essential changes such as a statutory guarantee of minimum support prices (MSP) for their crops and alleviation from increasing agricultural debts. Yet, their attempt to advance towards the capital, New Delhi, has been stopped in its tracks by the government's decision to seal all borders, effectively blocking their movement.

In the last week, the protests have descended into turmoil, with law enforcement deploying tear gas, rubber bullets, and, according to some allegations, pellet guns against the protesters. On Wednesday, February 21st, a 21-year-old farmer was allegedly killed during the confrontations after being hit by a bullet from the Haryana police. The farmers paused their demonstrations for two days in the aftermath of the young man's death.

Initially, the government extended the mobile internet blackout from February 13 to February 15. Yet, on Wednesday, it announced a further extension of the internet suspension until Friday, February 23rd."It's beyond my understanding why anyone would cut off internet access in today's age, causing so much distress to people. Being a student, every minute counts, and I rely on the internet for various aspects of my learning. Without it, I feel as though I'm imprisoned," Singh expressed in dismay.

Similarly, thousands in the northern Indian states of Punjab and Haryana are grappling with the internet shutdown. The Indian government defends this action as a means to curb the "dissemination of false information and rumours on different social media platforms."Numerous people interviewed by This Week in Asia voiced their discontent and feelings of unfairness regarding the halted internet services, stating that this action only intensified their challenges, according to SCMP Media House.

Garg, a 28-year-old gig worker from Khanauri, Punjab, has been fervently monitoring his mobile phone for a connection. His earnings have significantly dropped over the past week because of the decreased number of online delivery requests."It's unjust for someone like me, who relies entirely on the internet for income. I'm the only provider for my family of three, and missing out on a week's work is something I can't afford. My wife needs medicine, and it's difficult to manage our daily costs when I'm not making any money," Garg disclosed.

Raman Jit Singh Chima, the Asia-Pacific Policy Director at Access Now, a worldwide digital rights group, contends that internet shutdowns are a consistently excessive and indefensible action that greatly violates individuals' rights, as reported by the media house. Particularly in India, where the dependency on the internet for staying in touch with family, handling work responsibilities, and accessing vital resources such as transportation is on the rise, the consequences are significant. Numerous crucial services, especially those used by gig workers, depend greatly on internet access.

Hence, these shutdowns not only disrupt social interactions and infringe upon human rights but also threaten livelihoods and the capacity to prosper in India," Chima stated. Moreover, we strongly believe that the excessively adverse effects of internet shutdowns render them indefensible in a constitutional democracy that emphasizes the rule of law, such as India.

According to the SCMP Media House, under the leadership of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India has experienced a significant rise in internet shutdowns, marking the highest number of internet disruptions in the country for the last five years, as reported consecutively by Access Now.

Critics have highlighted a contradiction between the data on internet shutdowns and the promotion of Prime Minister Modi's vision for a "digital India," a concept he has been advocating since his assumption of office in 2014.

Digital specialists have observed an increase in the frequency of internet shutdowns in India since 2020, exceeding those in authoritarian countries like Russia, Sudan, Iran, Myanmar, and Ethiopia. This era has been characterized by a shift towards digital authoritarianism, especially in reaction to different protests within India. This tendency largely originates from August 2017, when the Indian government enacted a regulation under the Telegraph Act, legally sanctioning these shutdowns. Prior to this, the legality of executing such shutdowns in India was unclear.

The amendment to the Act was viewed favourably by the BJP government, notably when it unilaterally ended the semi-independence of Indian-administered Kashmir and enforced an internet blackout for 18 months. Furthermore, the northeastern state of Manipur experienced an extended internet shutdown last year, causing significant distress among its population, as reported by the media house.

Regrettably, India has held the top position globally in terms of internet shutdowns for several years. "There's a discernible pattern where the internet is frequently cut off, more so than in any other country," Chima observed.

Aakar Patel, a distinguished journalist and writer, expressed to This Week in Asia, as reported by the media house, that these measures were anti-democratic and had cascading impacts on the governance at the state level."The Government of India (GoI) often behaves in ways that are not democratic," Patel remarked. "The concept of punishing the whole population for perceived threats has regrettably been normalized, especially in Kashmir."He cautioned, "The direction India is heading could result in continued oppression or exacerbate current discontent, as demonstrated by the persistent farmer protests."

Amidst the ongoing farmers' protests, the Indian government has not just enforced an internet shutdown but also enacted two series of orders to block social media accounts and links associated with the protests, resulting in the blocking of 177 links and accounts, of which 42 were on platform X. The majority of the accounts that were restricted or suspended were those voicing criticism of the BJP government.

On Thursday, platform X, through its Global Government Affairs account, declared its compliance with Indian government directives to restrict access to certain accounts and posts within India, despite expressing disagreement with the decision and highlighting concerns about freedom of speech.

The Indian government has mandated platform X through executive directives to take action against certain accounts and posts, warning of severe repercussions such as hefty fines and jail time for non-compliance. "In adherence to these directives, we will restrict access to these accounts and posts solely within India; nevertheless, we object to these measures and believe in upholding the right to free speech for these posts," stated the platform, as conveyed by a media outlet.

Technology specialists argue that the significant rise in online censorship and internet blackouts, occurring just weeks ahead of India's general election anticipated to take place between April and May, raises serious concerns.

Mishi Choudhary, a digital rights attorney and advocate for internet freedoms, reported to This Week in Asia, as mentioned by the media house, that there's been a marked uptick in the removal of content and the blocking of social media accounts associated with the farmers' protests. No platform discloses the reasons behind these actions, citing Rule 16's confidentiality requirements. This lack of transparency is consistently used by the Government of India to selectively control the information accessible to the Indian public. The activist also raised concerns about how citizens are supposed to practice their right to peaceful protest if all demonstrations are labelled as public emergencies or issues of public safety.

Apar Gupta, a specialist in digital law and activism, pointed out to the media house that platform X played a key role for farmers in their 2020-21 protests. It was a vital tool for releasing official statements, recording instances of police overreach, building solidarity, and attracting support for their cause with the use of hashtags. The platform became an essential channel for the farmers to voice their grievances and combat misinformation. The current scenario has changed. Preemptive blocking orders for the Twitter (now referred to as X) accounts of agricultural leaders have been implemented. "This type of prior restraint lacks any form of transparency or due process," he elaborated.

Around the world, legislation is being proposed to recognize access to the internet as a fundamental human right. Yet, in our region, we are subjected to enforced internet blackouts," stated Daljeet Singh, a PhD candidate. "As a scholar, my daily routine starts and ends with the internet. Currently, in the absence of internet connectivity, I find myself making numerous phone calls to colleagues in different states merely to verify small details pertinent to my research." (IPA Service)