'Life paralyzed without internet access at Karnal'

Karnal, Sep 9 (IANS) Suspension of internet services has turned out to be a major problem for the locals in Karnal as the ongoing farmers protest at mini secretariat has entered into the third day on Thursday.

The local residents and businesses owners are facing problems in digital transactions which are affecting their daily businesses.

The internet services were suspended in the five adjoining districts of Kurukshetra, Jind, Kaithal, Panipat and Karnal. However, the services have been restored in the four districts except Karnal. The agitating farmers have appealed to the local administration to resume the internet service in the area.

Talking to IANS, Farmers Union leader Gurunam Singh Chaduni said, "Shutting down Internet service is an attack on our right of expression. Every one has the right to speak and express. But, the administration is infringing on our rights".

"We put our views on social media but they have put a curb on this and we are unable to reach out to the lakhs of sympathisers of farmers. We appeal to the local administration to resume the internet services at the earliest", said the farmer leader.

A local business owner Sumit Sikka said that we are supporting the farmers agitation but the internet suspension is badly affecting our business. "We are unable to do the any digital transction from last two or three days. Seeing the agitation, customers are also not willing to come outside", he said. Since the onset of this agitation, we have observed a sharp fifty per cent decline in the customers, he added further.

Lakhvinder who works outside the mini secretariat as typist said that our business has been paralyzed without having internet access. He added that the locals are not coming outside due to the agitaion.

Taxi driver Jagjinder Singh said that we are not getting any customers in absence of internet service as they do only the online booking.

In absence of the internet services, both - the locals and the agitating farmers are facing similar problems of not being connected with the rest of the world. They are not able to send and receive any messages and do their digital transactions. The city's residents say that the government should restore the internet services as the protest will continue for longer time.