Internet services were suspended in Kashmir at midnight after the state government directed internet and telecom service providers to take all measures to ensure that a controversial film deemed offensive to Islam is not accessible to subscribers. In the wake of protests over the film gaining momentum, all educational institutions in the Valley have been closed for today. In an order issued yesterday, the state Home Department invoked the powers conferred under section 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act 1885.

The State Government today ordered Suspension of downloading or uploading of content from all internet portals with regard to video / message/ comments / excerpts of the blasphemous video titled “Innocence of Muslims” or by any other name. The order issued by the Home Department here today reads.

In exercise of the powers conferred U/S 5(2) of the Indian Telegraph Act 1885, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir, in the interest of public safety and for maintaining public order, hereby directs that:- (i) All licensed Telecom Service Providers/ Internet Service Providers shall make arrangements to ensure that their subscribers/ customers/ clients in the State of Jammu and Kashmir should not be able to download or upload the contents with regard to film/message/comments/excerpts of the blasphemous video titled “Innocence of Muslims” or by any other name.

If necessary, due to technical reasons, the Fully Qualified Domain Names shall be blocked viz www.youtube.com, www.facebook.com etc., (ii) They shall also ensure that the BULK mails that are being generated from their subscribers / clients do not contain this file/ versions of this file and the content and in case of suspicion/ detection, the same shall be blocked and filtered.

“In the interest of public safety and for maintaining public order, the government directs all licensed Telecom Service Providers and Internet Service Providers to make arrangements to ensure that their subscribers in Jammu and Kashmir should not be able to download or upload the contents with regard to the video,” the order said.

The order also stated that sites like Facebook and YouTube could be blocked if needed. 

“If necessary, due to technical reasons, the Fully Qualified Domain Names shall be blocked viz www.youtube.com, www.facebook.com etc. “They shall also ensure that the bulk mails that are being generated from their subscribers do not contain this file/versions of this file and the content and in case of suspicion (or) detection, the same shall be blocked and filtered,” it added.