लङभिऊ चिया कमानको चल्दो आन्दोलन: गल्ती नाफा मात्र उठाउने मालिकको की सालभरी काम गरेर मालिकलाई पत्ती दिने श्रमीकको? - Sumendra Tamang

 

    कुनै समय लङभिऊ चिया कमान दार्जीलिङ कै सबै भन्दा ठूलो कमानहरु मध्ये एक थियो। साथै यस कमानको उत्पादनशिल्ता पनि उतिकै ज्यादा हुने गर्थ्यो। सन् 1879 मा खोलिएको लङभिऊ कमानको कुल एरिया 1020  हेक्टर भएता पनि चिया रोप्ने कुल एरिया भने केवल 502 हेक्टर मात्र रहेको छ। त्यो पनि आधा उधी जङ्गल नै भइसकेको छ। चियाका बुट्टा त सबैले देख्नु भएका छन् होला तर चियाका 5 फुट भन्दा बढी रूखहरू पनि यहाँ देख्नु पाइन्छ। एक समय 1244 श्रमिक संख्या भएको कमान आज केवल 300 भन्दा अलिक ज्यादा श्रमिकहरु छन्। धेरै जना पलायन भए त धेरै श्रमीकहरु खरसाङ वरिपरिका कमान तिर सुख्खा/ बिघा हाजिरामा काम गर्छन्। 250 रुपियाँको गरिबी हाजिरा, मालिकको हेपाई अनि लुट, असमान कानुन, जमीनको मालिकाना बिना आखिर कसरी नी आफ्नु जीवन निर्वाह सकोस् श्रमिकहरुले!  समय समयमा बन्द गरेर भाग्ने मालिकवर्गलाई भने केवल नाफाको चिन्ता छ भने आजको दिनमा त्यहाँ बस्ने सबै बासिन्दाहरुलाई भने कमानको भविष्यको सुर्ता छ। बारम्बार आश्वासनको बोली मात्र आएपछि, लङभिऊ चियाकमानका श्रमिकहरुले आफ्नु खुदैको संगठन बनाएर सङ्घर्षको बाटो रोजेका छन्।

22 आगस्ट 2024 को दिन चिया कमानका श्रमिक-कर्मचारीहरूले आफ्नो बकाया राशि, पि एफ, ग्राचुइटी, बोनस, ज्याला-वेतन, एरियार, स्वास्थ्य सुविधा इत्यादि माग लिएर धर्ना गरेको ७-८ दिन पुग्न लागेको छ। यी दिनहरूमा कमाने श्रमिकहरूले श्रमिक एकताको बेजोड उदाहरण प्रस्तुत गरेका छन्। मालिक म्यानेजमेन्ट अनि सत्ताको चलखेल चलिरहेको देखिँदैछ। 28 जुलाई  हिल प्लान्टेशन्स् एमप्लोयिज यूनियन (HPE) U का लङभ्यू शाखा गठन भएपश्चात 29 जुलाईको दिन शाखाका युनियन सदस्य साथै पदाधिकारीहरूले म्यानेजर ए पि सिंह ज्युलाई 3 बुँदे मागपत्र बुझाए। त्यसपछि त्यही दिन बिघा श्रमिकहरूको 2022 को रहल 9 प्रतिशत बोनस मध्ये 4%  बकाया बोनसको राशी हालिदिइयो। सानो भए पनि श्रमिक एकताको जीत थियो यो।  तर एरियर, विगत सालको बोनस अनि श्रमिकको बकाया लिएर कुनै ठोस् निर्णय हुन सकेन। त्यही दिन म्यानेजरलाई भेट्न फेरि 5 अगस्त आउने कुरा भयो अनि श्रमिकहरूले यो कुरा म्यानेजरलाई पनि जनाएका थिए। तर म्यानेजर भने अफिस छोडेर दिल्लीतिर लागे। अनि शाखा प्रतिनिधिहरूले फोन गर्दा फर्केर मात्र कुरा गर्न सक्ने कुरा कमान शाखाका सचिवलाई जनाए। त्यसपछि 14 आगस्ट उनी फेरि आएको कुरा सुन्नमा आयो। त्यसको लगत्तै अर्को दिन 15 अगस्त शाखाको प्रतिनिधिहरूले एउटा  साधारण सभा गरे। त्यसपश्चात अझै मुद्दाहरूको बारेमा छलफल भएपछि 17 अगस्तको दिन अन्य थप बुनियादी माग लिएर श्रमिकहरू म्यानेजरलाई भेट्न गए। 27 जना टी मेकरका पद भएका कर्मचारीहरूले त्यही दिन आफ्नु एक महिनाका हाजिरा पाए। श्रमिक एकताको सानो जीत त्यो पनि हो। तिनीहरूको अझै 3 महिनाको वेतन बाकी नै रह्यो।

 

युनियनले पेश गरेका अरु माग लिएर आश्वासन बाहेक कुनै निश्चित निष्कर्ष निस्केन। अरु मुद्दाहरूबारे मौखिक रूपमा आश्वासन मात्र दिएको हुनाले श्रमिकहरूले त्यही दिन धर्ना प्रदर्शन शुरू गरे। दिनभरि श्रमिकहरू म्यानेजरसँग बारम्बार बैठक बसे तर मालिकवर्गले आश्वासन बाहेक केही दिन सकेन। त्यसपछि पत्ती नटिप्ने निर्णय भयो तर कमानको फाल्टो काम, सिकलिङ, लहराको काम गरेर कमानलाई सफा गर्ने निर्णय भयो। उक्त निर्णय गर्नुको तात्पर्य कमानमा नाफाको होडबाजी मात्र नगरेर कमानको स्यार सुसारमा पनि म्यानेजमेन्ट- मालिकले ध्यान दिनु पर्ने सन्देश थियो। श्रमिकहरू यो विषय लिएर गम्भीर छन्, तर यहाँ मालिक म्यानेजमेन्टले हरियो पत्ती बेचेर खान पल्केको छ ।  कमान सुचारु रूपमा चलाउने मालिक, गोविन्द गर्कको कुनै इरादा नै छैन।

 

19 तारीख सोमबार फेरि अफिसमा भेला भएर एकछिन धर्ना प्रदर्शन गरेर काममा जाने कुरा थियो तर राखी लगाउन गएका म्यानेजर फेरि फर्केनन्। भोलि पल्ट पनि आएनन्। त्यसैले 20 तारिखको दिन म्यानेजरको नाममा गाडीधुरा पुलिस आउट पोस्टमा मिसिङ रिपोर्ट फाइल गरियो साथै खरसाङ ALC अफिसमा पनि धर्ना साथै ज्ञापन पत्र बुझाउने कार्यक्रम भयो। त्यहाँ त्रिपक्षीय वार्ताको माग HPEU युनियनले गर्यो। त्यही दिन म्यानेजरले एक पन्ध्रको हाजिरा हालेको खबर जनायो। त्यो श्रमिक एकताको सानो तर दोस्रो जीत झैँ महसुस भयो।

 

त्यसपछि 21 तारीख अफिसमा बिहान 11 बजे सम्म धर्ना प्रदर्शनी गरेर श्रमिकहरू फाल्टो कामको लागि निस्के। पाउनु पर्ने अधिकारको निम्ति गरिएको धर्ना तर मालिक म्यानेजमेन्टले नोटिस मात्र फ्याली रहे।

घरी काम नभए हाजिर नपाउने नोटिस त कहिले म्यानेजमेन्टले भनेको कुरा नमाने हाजिर नपाउने नोटिस! बगानको स्याहार-सुसार राम्रोसँग गर्दै बगान चलाउन बारे मालिकको कुनै चासो देखिँदैन। बगानमा कत्ति झारी-जङ्गल भइसकेको छ भन्ने कुराबाटै त्यो स्पष्ट छ।

 

जे होस्, हालिदिएको हाजिराबारे खबर आयो कि सबै डिभिजनको हाजिरा भने बैंकमा जम्मा गरिएको छैन। श्रमिकहरूले यसबारे  म्यानेजरलाई जनाएर यो प्रथालाई अन्त गरी एकै खेपमा हाजिरा हाल्ने माग गरे साथै यो श्रमिक एकतालाई तोड्ने षडयन्त्र हो भनेर म्यानेजरलाई जनाए।

 

21 अगस्तकै दिन बेलुकी कम्पनीको तर्फबाट कमानको काम HPEUले डिस्टर्ब गरेको आरोप लगाउने चिट्ठीको कपी आयो। त्यसमा मालिकले जनवरीदेखिको 22 पल्ट धर्ना गरेर बगानको काममा रोकटोक आउने कुरा गरे। तर HPEU युनियनको शाखा भने 28 जुलाईको दिनमात्रै गठन भएको हो। त्यसपश्चातको मात्र  4 वटा  धर्नाको  उल्लेख हुनुपर्ने हो। भनेपछि मालिक यसरी नै श्रमिकहरूलाई शोषण गर्दै र बगान लथालिङ्ग पार्दै बगान चलाइरहेका छन्, र HPEU युनियन आउन अघि नै म्यानेजमेन्टकै कारण यत्रो 18 दिन धर्ना भएको  कुरा छर्लङ्ग छ। जे होस्, भोलिपल्ट बिहान 22 तारीख  श्रमिकहरू फेरि अफिस परिसरमा भेला भई मिटिङ गरेर JLC लाई पत्राचार गर्न अनि मालिक म्यानेजमेन्टको यो खोक्रो अनि दमनकारी नीति श्रम बिभाग तथा JLC लाई जनाउने उद्देश्य बोकेर श्रमिक भवन तर्फ लागे। श्रमिक भवनमा 250 भन्दा ज्यादा श्रमिक भेला भएका थिए भने त्यहाँ युनियनले इन्डस्ट्रियल डिसपियुट एक्ट, 1947 अन्तर्गत लेबर डिसपियुट पेश गर्यो साथै त्रिपक्षीय वार्ताको माग राख्यो। चाँडै त्रिपक्षीय बैठक बोलाउने कुरा सुन्नमा आयो। त्यही दिन युनियनका केन्द्रीय सह सचिव सुमेन्द्र तामाङ अनि उपाध्यक्ष छेवाङ योञ्जनको नाममा श्रमिक भड्काएको अनि कमान बन्द गर्ने उद्देश्य  भन्दै बेबुनियादी आरोप लगाइएको चिट्ठी कम्पनीले गाडीधुरा पुलिस आउटपोस्टमा दिएको खबर आयो। यसको कपी शाखाको एकजना पदाधिकारीको नाममा छ। यसले मालिकपक्ष अनि म्यानेजमेन्टको खोक्रो अनि दमनकारी नीति हामी समक्ष उजागर गरेको छ। एउटा कमान स्तरको श्रम-विवादलाई इन्डस्ट्रियल डिसपियुट अनुसार समाधान नगरेर थानामा चिट्ठी दिएर कम्पनीले आफ्नु नियत देखाई सकेको छ। शमशानको शान्ति चाहियो तिनीहरूलाई? श्रमिकहरूले जायज ज्याला-वेतन-बोनस-एरियर माग्दा तिनीहरूलाई समस्या लाग्छ भने कसरी देशको कानुन मानेर बगान चलाउँछन् तिनीहरूले?

 

 हामी युनियनको पक्षबाट यस कुराको घोर विरोध गर्दछौँ। समाधान नभइञ्जेल सङ्घर्ष जारी नै रहन्छ। यो HPEU को अडान हो।

 

23 तारीख श्रमिकहरूको धर्ना पश्चात लगभग एक घण्टापछि 1 बजिको समयमा ALC, खरसाङबाट 28 तारीख अगस्त, 2024 को दिन डाकिएको त्रिपक्षीय वार्ताको एउटा पत्राचार आयो। उक्त पत्राचार HPEU लाई मेल मार्फत पठाइएको थियो।

 

विगत केही दिनदेखि चलिआएको यो आन्दोलनले विभिन्न समस्या अनि असुविधाहरू झेल्नु परिरहेको छ तर पनि लङभिऊका श्रमिकहरूको एकता भने कायम छ। कमान बन्द गर्ने धम्की साथै अलिअलि भए पनि हाजिरा क्लियर पनि हुँदैछ तर यदि यस समस्याको समाधान निकालिन्छ भने यसरी करोडौ बकाया राशि राखेर हुँदैन। 23 अगस्ट 2024 को दिन सम्म 16 करोड 90 लाख 63 हजार 5 सय अठासी रुपियाँ (16,90,63,588) को कुल बकाया राशि श्रमिकहरुले पाउने पर्ने छ। यसै माथि २०२४को बोनस पनि आउन लाग्यो।  यस पाली पनि बोनसबारे चिया श्रमिकहरूले सङ्घर्ष गरेरै आ-आफ्नो बगानमा अधिकार कायम राख्न जरुरी छ। नत्र, फेरि दसैँ आइसक्दा मात्र किस्ती किस्तिको कुरा आउने छ।

 

यसैले हामी समस्त चिया कमानका श्रमिक अनि मजदुर पक्षमा उभिने ट्रेड युनियनहरूलाई चिया उद्योगमा भइरहेका यस्ता व्यापक समस्याहरूको निम्ति र लङभिऊ बगानको समस्याबारे पनि एक भएर काम गर्ने आहवान गर्दछौँ। साथै विभिन्न भनी-भनाई अनि आरो -प्रति आरोपको बयानबाजी मध्ये HPEU ले श्रमिक वर्गको पाउनु पर्ने मौलिक अधिकारको मुद्धालाई नै मुख्य केन्द्र राखेर  आउँदो दिनहरूमा काम गर्नेछ।

 

अब आउँदो 28 तारीख अगस्तको त्रिपक्षीय वार्ताको नतिजाले नै आन्दोलनको बाटो निर्धारण गर्ने छ। यही अन्तराल बीच 24 तारीख देखि 28 अगस्त सम्म म्यानेजमेन्टले भने अनुसार नै श्रमिकहरूले काम गर्ने निर्णय लिएका छन्। उक्त मिटिङमा श्रमिकको पक्षमा कुरा नमिले आन्दोलन जारी नै रहने निर्णय लङभिऊ कमानका युनियन शाखाले निर्णय गरी सकेका छन्। साथै मालिक गोविन्द गढले लङभिऊ चिया कमान राम्रो अनि कानुनी रूपमा चलाएको हुन पर्छ  भन्ने कुरालाई पनि विशेष ध्यान राख्दै HPEU उक्त मिटिङमा उपस्थित रहने जानकारी गराउँदछौँ।

 

मजदुर एकता जिन्दाबाद।

Longview garden workers movement: An introspection and a call for solidarity.- Sumendra Tamang

    When our country is facing multitudes of social movements of the toiling masses and our society is highly sensitive about gender violence and workspace harassments, we often fail to see the exploitation of women workers in their workplace. The making of a working class is strongly a gender based phenomenon in any capitalist society. The majority of workers are women in many industries like handlooms, garments, tea etc. So these working class women when subjected to extreme levels of economic exploitation, social injustice, political misuse and patriarchy fight back. They are capable of speaking up on their own. After all we all need a little push of self confidence and organic leadership. Our unity grows with fruitful contradictions.

 

Let's talk about Longview tea garden. 

Some workers  are my nana, some my aangi. Some I call mam and some aseng. They are all my loved ones and I believe in them. This solidarity among the working class among themselves is what we need. We all need to set aside our petty  political differences and stand together as one but many. The only weapon we have is our unity and a will to will fight for ourselves. 

As the movement against gender violence and discrimination becomes stronger in West Bengal the issues of working class women should not be set aside. After all discrimination and deprivation is the only thing that these women workers face. Tea garden women workers issues  therefore must also  be bought into the ambit of  social movement happening across India against gender justice. 

More than 15 crores of dues have been piled up till date. Workers and staffs haven't been paid for more than 60 days. Arrears are due too. Last year's bonus still haven't been fully distributed. Field workers have to pluck green leaves amidst venomous snakes like Cobras. Elephants, leopards run wild. Yesterday only a teenager was killed by an Elephant nearby the garden. Workers have to pay for fuel to go to the nearest hospital as the hospital in Longview rusts like ill maintained ruins. There are no signs of other fringe rights like umbrella, gumboots, hygienic quarters, healthe etc. Retired workers haven't been paid their Gratuity money. Factory is currently not manufacturing tea and the green leaves are sold somewhere in Jalpaiguri,  workers say. The director of garden Govind Garh owns this garden along with other major residential and construction businesses as well. There is a huge lack of transparency in the functioning of this garden. It can be said that the fruits of labour are being savoured by the master and siphoned away into other businesses. 

This intersectional relationship between gender and class needs to be the primal force of tea garden workers. Meaning it's high time that the women take over the trade union movement of tea industry and only then can the tea garde industry survive. I may be wrong and people can disagree with me.We can disagree and still stand together in this struggle unless your disagreement is rooted in my oppression and denial of my humanity and right to exist.

Isn't this an act of violence against life?

Longview demands justice. 

And justice when delayed is denied. 

Solidarity forever for the union makes us stronger

Sheikh Hasina’s rise and fall: A timeline

 

Source: https://www.dhakatribune.com/353787

The political journey of Sheikh Hasina, one of Bangladesh’s most prominent leaders, has been marked by significant highs and dramatic lows.

Born on September 28, 1947, Sheikh Hasina began her political journey as a student leader. She was elected Vice President of the Students Union at Eden College between 1966 and 1967 and later became the General Secretary of the women's unit at Dhaka University's Rokeya Hall. These early experiences laid the foundation for her future political career.

On August 15, 1975, tragedy struck when her father, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and other family members were assassinated. At the time, Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana were in West Germany. They accepted political asylum in India, offered by then-prime minister Indira Gandhi, and lived in New Delhi for six years.

After being elected president of the Awami League on February 16, 1981, Sheikh Hasina returned to Bangladesh on May 17, 1981. Her return marked the beginning of a new chapter in her political career, characterized by both struggle and perseverance.

Throughout the 1980s, Sheikh Hasina faced repeated detentions under martial law. She was placed under house arrest in February and November 1984, and again in March 1985 for another three months. 

Despite these challenges, she continued to fight for democracy and justice.

In 1986, Hasina and the Awami League participated in the general election under President Hussain Muhammad Ershad, where she served as the leader of the parliamentary opposition. 

She led an eight-party alliance against Ershad’s regime, demanding fair elections and democratic reforms.

As the political landscape of Bangladesh became increasingly volatile, Hasina’s leadership was put to the test. In December 1987, Ershad dissolved parliament, prompting mass uprisings in Dhaka. The protests resulted in several deaths, including that of Awami League activist Noor Hossain.

Sheikh Hasina’s resilience paid off when she became prime minister in 1996 after winning the general election. Her tenure lasted until 2001.

Source: Al Jazeera.com

During the 2006–2008 political crisis, Hasina was detained on extortion charges, a move seen by many as politically motivated. Despite these challenges, she won the 2008 election, solidifying her position as a key political figure.

In 2014, Hasina was re-elected for a third term in an election boycotted by the opposition BNP, raising questions about the legitimacy of her government. Nevertheless, she continued to lead the country and won her fourth term after the 2018 election.

In 2024, Sheikh Hasina secured her fifth term as prime minister, making her the world’s longest-serving female head of government. However, her final term was marred by controversy and violence.

Around 300 people (unofficially more) lost their lives in Bangladesh due to violent protests stemming from the controversial quota system for government jobs. Anti-government demonstrators marched into Dhaka on Monday following a weekend of intense violence that claimed over 90 lives.

Protesters were demanding the resignation of prime minister Sheikh Hasina and justice for those killed during the clashes. 

The protests escalated on July 16 when clashes between security forces and pro-government activists and students turned violent. The Supreme Court intervened to roll back the quota decision, but the unrest continued.

A renewed wave of anti-government demonstrations over the weekend saw violent clashes reignite, drawing hundreds of thousands of protesters and further destabilizing the nation.

Sheikh Hasina resigned from her position on Monday, August 5, 2024. 

Shortly after her resignation, Hasina, accompanied by her sister Sheikh Rehana, left Dhaka via helicopter, landing in Agartala, the capital of the Indian state of Tripura, according to Indian media reports.

In the wake of Hasina’s resignation, Bangladesh Army Chief General Waker-Uz-Zaman announced plans to form an interim government.

Amidst the tussle between the BJP and TMC for political power, the people of North Bengal find themselves sandwiched and cornered: Is this the end or the beginning? -------Sumendra Tamang

 In a rare show of bonhomie between the ruling TMC and the opposition BJP, the West Bengal Assembly on Monday, August 5th, 2024 unanimously passed a resolution opposing any attempt to divide the state, in other words crush any demands of self determination and nationality movement in the state. The Bidhan Sabha of West Bengal in a motion under the Rule 185, passed an unanimous decision in favour of Akhanda Bengal. The proposal was primarily initiated by some MLAs of TMC such as Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay, Arup Biswas, Baluchik Baraik, Nirmal Ghosh, Biplab Mitra, Debashish Kumar and Sashi Pandra and was unanimously supported by all the BJP opposition such as leader of the opposition Suvendu Aadhikari, Dilip Ghosh, Shankhar Ghosh etc . BP Bajgain was not allowed by his own party BJP and also the speaker of Bidhan Sabha to speak in the assembly and he protested against the resolution by walking out of the house. "We believe in cooperative federalism. We are opposed to any attempt to divide the state," Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said while speaking on the motion. The BJP, maintained that it is opposed to the idea of bifurcation of the state and asserted that it rather wants its development, especially of the northern parts. Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari proposed the inclusion of a line in the motion: "We want overall development of united West Bengal." "We are against any attempt to divide West Bengal," he asserted. The proposal was accepted by Banerjee, paving the way for unanimous passage of the resolution. Amid demands from various quarters for a separate state of Gorkhaland, Greater Coochbehar Kamtapur and also for carving out a separate Union territory comprising northern West Bengal, the ruling Trinamool Congress moved this resolution under Rule 185. 

Image source: ndtv.com

The West Bengal Assembly had passed a similar resolution through voice vote in February last year against attempts to divide the state. Looking at this rare political alignment between the two contending parties of West Bengal it is evident that both the BJP and TMC is against the formation of small states within the territory of India. Although TMC has maintained this stand right from its inception and it was also very clear to the people of Darjeeling but this should be an eye opener for all the ‘ blind followers’ of BJP from the region of North Bengal. For more than decade BJP has maintained a ‘fake solidarity’ with the people of Darjeeling and it was the Darjeeling constituency from where Jaswant Singh from BJP had first won its seat in West Bengal legislative assembly in 2009. The BJP has used the sentiments of the people of North Bengal especially Darjeeling Terai and Dooars into slowly gaining their entry into West Bengal Legislative assembly. And now, when it’s entry is guaranteed, BJP is trying to win the sentiments of ruling Bengali chauvinism by putting out it’s ‘ anti small state core ideology.’ Neither the BJP nor the TMC stands with the minorities and self determination aspirations of the oppressed nationality but all they propagate is parliamentary appeasement and communal disharmony. This exposure now stands clear and the people of North Bengal especially Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Terai and Dooars should realise this and get out of this trap of BJP’s hypocrisy and TMC’s authoritative political framework. This should also been an eye opener for all the regional political parties who have poisoned, pledged and polarised themselves into loyalty between the two parties. Theoretically speaking, this should also be an indicator that we should understand the fine difference and also the interdependence of development agenda and identity movement for the self aspirations of the people of North Bengal. While the majority of the people from North Bengal are dependent on tea garden economy and still the working class of tea gardens don’t receive a daily minimum wages. It is the working class of this region who have suffered the most loss and discrimination in every form. The ownership of land is changing its character and slowly but steadily land grabbing by the state government is rampantly increasing. The real motive behind it being the selling of land to the highest bidder for hospitality, industrialisation and enhancing tourism. If the local regional parties and the civil society of North Bengal especially Darjeeling,Kalimpong, Terai and Dooars do not understand this now, then the future of this region and it’s people is furthermore heading towards a deep abysmal crisis from which we may never overcome. The real question being, is this the end or the beginning?

India No. 1 Offender Position in Global Internet Shutdowns

 Sumendra Tamang

New report on global internet shutdowns puts India into number one offender position with a whopping  116 total internet shutdowns in the country during 2023.

     

Internet shutdowns and platform blockings have been so much frequently used as a means of crushing the voices of the marginalized and targeting the cries of dissent throughout the world. From Europe to Asia to the middle eastern countries, internet shutdowns have been gaining much affinity from the rulers as an apparatus of control. And then misinformation follows. Blocking the information and then spreading misinformation has been the common tactic of every ruling government wherever conflicts, occupation, protests have occurred. The place where I belong from, Darjeeling has seen internet shutdowns for more than two months straight when the cries for self determination and a movement for a separate federal state was on it’s highest during 2017. It is unwarranted and a lot of violent offences are left unnoticed and therefore buried under the diktats of ruling governments. Well India as a country has been tightening its grip upon internet shutdowns since the last decade and the pattern doesn’t seem to stop at any point. Recently a internet shutdown for 212 days was enforced upon the state of Manipur and more than 30 lakh people were directly affected by it. The intention here is to normalise such a tactic as a rule of the law. It is more or less safe to say that internet shutdowns have been used worldwide by different countries and the pattern seems to be exponentially increasing at an increasing rate. And our India leads from the top. Yes, you heard it right.

In 2023, a joint report of Access Now and the #KeepItOn documented 283 internet shutdowns in 39 countries. These are staggering results, marking the highest number of internet shutdown incidents in a single year since they began their monitoring in 2016. This year’s report reflects an additional 82 shutdowns, or a 41% increase, from 2022, when the recorded number was 201 shutdowns in 40 countries. India alone is responsible for 116 shutdowns in 2023, the highest number of shutdown orders worldwide for the sixth consecutive year. Authorities in India continue to use shutdowns as a near-default response to crises, both proactively and reactively. Authorities in India increasingly implemented shutdowns at a regional rather than local level compared with 2021 and 2022 when shutdowns were highly localized, especially in Jammu and Kashmir. In 2023, 64 shutdown orders affected more than one district in the same state, province, or region, driven by 47 shutdowns in Manipur but also including the statewide shutdown in Punjab in March. From May 3 to December 3, 2023, the government of Manipur imposed a statewide shutdown affecting roughly 3.2 million people for 212 days (including a break of only three days) through a series of 44 published shutdown orders. It changed in scope and scale throughout the year, primarily impacting mobile networks but also including a statewide shutdown of broadband and mobile internet lasting two-and-a-half months. The impacts were severe, particularly for women, as the shutdowns made it more difficult to document rampant atrocities, including murder, rape, arson, and other gender-based violence, and thereby hold perpetrators accountable.

 In the state of Punjab, authorities blocked internet access impacting about 27 million people across the state for four continuous days—one of the country’s most extensive blackouts in recent years—as police searched for an alleged separatist on the run. In addition to ongoing nationwide platform blocks, in 2023, people in 13 states experienced local or statewide internet shutdowns, the same total from 2022. Among them, more authorities are repeatedly reaching for the kill switch, with the number of states employing five or more shutdowns in a year increasing from two in 2021 and three in 2022 to seven in 2023. In addition to Manipur and Punjab, authorities in Bihar (12), Haryana (11), West Bengal (6), Maharashtra (5), and Rajasthan (5) imposed shutdowns during protests, religious holidays, and exams. Jammu and Kashmir saw 17 shutdown orders, down from 49 in 2022. Not only were shutdowns implemented at wider geographic scales, but they also lasted longer in 2023. The share of shutdowns in India spanning across five days or more shot up from 15% of shutdowns in 2022 to more than 41% in 2023. When  combined  with nationwide blocking of 14 messaging apps starting in  early  May,  7,502  URL-blocking orders  issued  between January and October 2023, and India’s new telecom law giving the central government nearly unchecked power to impose internet shutdowns, trends in India point not only to a high number of short shutdowns  but  a spectrum of harmful, increasingly  longer, and wider-ranging disruptions shrinking the civic space in the country. Despite clear economic effects, disproportionate impacts on marginalized groups, and the shielding of atrocities, authorities continue to implement shutdowns at all levels across India during protests, exams, elections, and communal violence.

 This data is also a 28% increase from 2019, which was the previous record high with 221 shutdowns. These cases have been monitored closely in 2024, as protest activities continue to rebuild after the COVID-19 outbreak and emerge on new fronts, and elections are underway for nearly half the world’s population. Importantly, conflicts emerged for the first time as the leading driver of internet shutdowns in 2023, and shutdowns intersecting with natural disasters surfaced as a concerning new trend.

Internet shutdown as means of crushing the voices of dissent:

    As people struggle without access to basic amenities, essential platforms and services amid conflict, humanitarian disasters and other moments of upheaval, the impact of internet shutdowns is becoming more and more devastating and increasingly an issue of life and death. More militaries are using shutdowns as part of a deliberate strategy to cut populations off from the world, either as a precursor to atrocities and violence against civilians or as part of a continuous and systematic dismantling of civilian infrastructure. Likewise, the weaponization of internet shutdowns during active conflict has resulted in compounding humanitarian crises. In conflict zones and beyond,2023 is the most violent year of shutdowns on record, with 173 shutdowns corresponding to acts of violence— a 26% increase from 2022.This trend has been increasing at an alarming rate year over year. Authorities continued to give insufficient or ill-defined reasons for implementing shutdowns, such as national security concerns, public safety, or to prevent the spread of misinformation and hate speech, using disruptions either as a disproportionate and ineffective tool for addressing a problem or in obvious efforts to oppress, silence, and control. In the majority of cases, governments took no responsibility and offered no explanation. Out of all our recorded events in 2023, in 93% of cases, the public received no advance notice of an impending shutdown, deepening fear and uncertainty and putting more people in grave danger.

 Conflict was the leading trigger for internet shutdowns for the first time in 2023, with warring parties imposing 74 shutdowns in nine countries (Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, India, Libya, Myanmar, Pakistan, Palestine, Sudan and Ukraine). This far exceeds the 36 shutdowns in nine countries recorded in 2022.

In 2023, this ongoing wave of anti-government protests met with the eruption of new protests in seven countries that had not seen major protests in the previous five years. In fact, researchers documented the emergence of new protests in at least 83 countries. In this context, governments shut down the internet to crack down on dissent 63 times in 15 countries: Bangladesh, Cuba, Ethiopia, Gabon, Guinea, India, Iran, Jordan, Libya, Mauritania, Mozambique, Pakistan, Senegal, Somaliland, and Suriname.  

Blocking of internet platforms as means of targeting the marginalized:

Other than this, specific internet platforms like TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, Skype, Clubhouse, Instagram, Facebook, meta services, WhatsApp, Telegram etc.  have been blocked, worldwide in multiple countries throughout the past. The persistent use of platform blocks indicates authorities may perceive them as “more acceptable” or “less harmful,” but disruption of platforms often disproportionately impacts targeted and marginalized communities or people who rely on them as their only viable mode of access to information and communication with oved ones, colleagues, customers, news sources, and service providers.

 The widespread blocking of Grindr— the world’s largest social networking app for gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people — is an especially telling indicator that authorities are using blocks to deliberately marginalize specific groups of people. This clear repression of LGBTQ+ spaces reflect a global wave of intolerance and discrimination that is dehumanizing and isolating people from vital support networks. LGBTQ+ people already face a wide range of serious threats to their fundamental rights and physical safety, and censorship and shutdowns are only exacerbating the harm and putting people at further risk.

Internet Shutdowns due to natural disasters:

In an alarming new development, we saw at least four internet shutdowns in four countries (Iraq, Libya, Myanmar, Türkiye) coincide with natural disasters in 2023. Rising global surface temperatures and shifts in weather patterns due to the climate crisis fuelling natural disasters including typhoons, floods, wildfires, and cyclones across the world. In 2023, the world was hit hard by a whopping 240 calamities—a tragic record-breaking number of natural disasters—which caused irreparable damage, including deaths and displacement of tens of thousands of people. The impact of the climate crisis coupled with growing political and economic instability is becoming global in scope and unprecedented in scale.

Internet shutdowns due to other reasons: Election, school exams etc.

As a result of internet shutdowns during elections in 2023, the report documented five election-related shutdowns, levelling off at the same number as 2022 following a steady downward trend since the peak of 12 election-related shutdowns in both 2018 and 2019. In 2023, the report recorded 12 exam-related shutdowns in Algeria, India, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, and Syria. This follows a relatively consistent trend of recent years: there were eight such shutdowns in 2022, 11 in 2021, and eight in 2020. Internet shutdowns are always an attack on people’s human rights. But when they come without warning during moments of national tension or as part of deliberate military strategy, they are especially harmful, cutting people off from communications lifelines when they need them most.

These are some findings of the report, but it says more about the present state of the globe in general and India in particular. The growing political tendency is loud and clear.

Looking into this chronology….

In the age of rapid technological development around the world, different forms of technology have been used as means of ruling intentions by various oppressing states. But the growing voices of dissent and protests have been challenging this very means of appropriation of technology by the ruling state (of various forms). Our country which stands tall with flavours of a fascist regime is no exception to it. In fact, it stands amongst them all and leads this game of internet blocking and blackouts. Religious pogroms, ethnic clashes, lynching, mob attacks, state aggression, racism, targeted murders have increased to such a height that it all seems normalized. People talk about them for a day or a week and then the topic is lost somewhere into the subconscious chamber of our daily lives. However bitter this may sound; our present-day India is going through a systematic process of change. The change however tilting towards a more conservative and a fundamentalist religious state where the caste system and its morale hierarchy rules where Dalits are treated like dusts and insects beneath the feet of higher castes and the tribal aboriginals are seen as untouchables and out of this order of casteism. Whereas on the other hand, the minorities of this country have to live a life of fear and uncertainty. This is one of the indicators for the rule of the law sliding into the abyss of fascism and tyranny.

This trend is exponentially increasing since the last decade as this report too suggests. In the name of maintaining peace and harmony, different regimes around the world are continuously undertaking this same tactic of suppression and it is clear to say that the world order is changing due to repeated outbursts of imperialist wars and occupation by force. Be it Israel and Palestine or Ukraine and Russia, innumerable acts of killings and sufferings are being raged against the common people. To make it look justifiable and safe – worthy, internet blocking is being used as a means of control, to suppress and oppress the already exploited section of people around the globe. But the report also points out to growing resistance around the world. People throughout the globe are not happy with this system and hence coming out into the streets to protest against it. This system is afraid of such ripple and is constantly trying to normalize different apparatus of the state such as internet blocking and many other forms of repression. It feels vulnerable, feels afraid and tries to sabotage such acts of defiance as anti nationalists and seditious. This reaction will further ripple out aggravated resistance, at least that much is known.