New Delhi
In total disregard of international demands for restoration of internet services amid rising cases of coronavirus around the globe and in occupied Jammu and Kashmir, the Modi-led Indian government on Monday made every attempt to convince the country’s Supreme Court that the restrictions on high-speed internet service in Kashmir must prevail.
The submissions of the Indian government were opposed before a bench, headed by Justice N V Ramana, by senior lawyers Salman Khurshid and Huzefa Ahmadi who were representing parties seeking restoration of high speed internet, on grounds such as right to access doctors is inherent under Article 21 (Right to Life) of the Indian Constitution and its deprivation should be judged in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
They also said that the right of children to access schools through the high-speed internet service has been hampered.
During the over 2-hour hearing, held via video conferencing, the senior lawyers informed the court that doctors are unable to access information about COVID-19 treatment in Kashmir, where there were over 700 cases as on date.
The right to access information is inherent under Article 21 and deprivation of fundamental rights has to be judged in the light of the fact that there is a pandemic and the rights of persons to access doctors and of children to access schools are restricted, They added.—KMS
