New Delhi: Home Minister Rajnath Singh today accused Pakistan of using the social media to incite youths in Kashmir to storm encounter sites to help holed-up militants, after some members in Lok Sabha raised the issue of death of three civilians in Budgam in firing by security forces. Responding to Saugata Roy (TMC) expressing concern saying the situation in the Kashmir Valley was very grave and seeking his intervention, Singh said the security forces were dealing with terrorism in a way they should and they will surely be successful. He said the strife-torn region had seen a “new trend” of late in which youths from nearby villages gather at the sites of encounter between security forces and terrorists and pelt stones to help the militants holed-up there to flee. “I will appeal to youths not to be misled by Pakistan. Some social media applications like Whatsapp and Facebook are used to gather youths at places of encounters. These groups are based in Pakistan. “Security forces are dealing with terrorists exactly the way they should and will continue to do so. I want to say that we will definitely be successful,” he said. Pakistan-sponsored militants are trying to destabilise not only Kashmir but entire India, Singh said. K C Venugopal (Congress) also raised the issue of deaths of civilians. Roy noted that he was a member of the all-party delegation which had visited Kashmir earlier and the situation there had again become very grave.
Social media, mobile internet services may be suspended in Kashmir, Pak agents using technology to trigger yet another unrest.
Miscreants assembling near the encounter sites is emerging as a big challenge for the security forces, to prevent the flow of information and misuse of social media, the security agencies are mulling to recommend the suspension of mobile internet services or blocking the social media networking sites in Kashmir to break the vicious cycle of protests near the gunfight sites.
Sources said that Pakistani agents active in Kashmir are using social networking sites to instigate youth to reach near the encounter sites to help the terrorists escape. “Addresses of many accounts involved in anti-India propaganda have been traced to Pakistan and it seems that accounts are being operated by the ISI and Pakistani agents, said a source.
He said that it has been observed that Pakistani and the ISI agents are making full use of social media to foment trouble in Kashmir. “In fact they are using the social media as a tool,” the source added.
He said that ISI and Pakistan are leaving no stone unturned to trigger yet another unrest in Kashmir. “Many agencies have recommended that either mobile internet should be suspended or the social networking sites be blocked,” the source added. Insiders revealed that these recommendations have been forwarded to the Ministry of Home Affairs and the response is awaited.
It is in place to mention here that mobile internet services in Kashmir remained suspended for many months during 2016 unrest. These services were restored months after life returned to normal in Kashmir.
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