On a day when Delhi saw suspension of mobile services, including Internet, for the first time, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal presided over the inauguration of free Wi-Fi hotspot installation at the ITO bus stop here as part of the Aam Aadmi Party government’s flagship project aimed at providing free public access to Internet across the Capital.
The irony of the situation was not lost on the Chief Minister, who said, “It is ironic that Internet services are down today [Thursday] because the police have asked for them to be shut on the day when we are launching this project…We hope that the situation normalises soon and the services resume.”
109 hotspots installed
According to the Delhi government, 109 free Wi-Fi hotspots were installed in Delhi to mark the launch of the scheme. Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia marked the launch of the project at Vishwavidyalaya metro station.
Internet services were shut down at several locations, including ITO, on a request by the Delhi police, which wanted to “curb rumour-mongering” during the anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act protests in the city.
‘Government directive’
Telecom service providers said, as per “the directive received from the government”, services were stopped at a “few locations” till 1 p.m. The free Wi-Fi hotspot inauguration took place at 11.45 p.m.
The Chief Minister expressed concern that the law and order situation, not only in Delhi, but the entire country was “deteriorating” day by day.
“There is a fear among all the citizen, not just Muslims, that they will have to prove their citizenship and show documents. Seventy per cent people, specially poor, have no document to show and they fear that they will be evicted from the country, he said.
Mr. Kejriwal said there was no need of the amended citizenship law as it was not going to achieve anything and the government needs to focus on providing jobs to the youth.
“I urge the Central government with folded hands not to bring this law at this time,” he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
