Mobile internet services were snapped in Jammu region on Thursday as authorities feared misuse of social media after tension gripped Udhampur district over recovery of carcasses of three cows.
Police said the mobile internet services have been cut in this region of Jammu and Kashmir to prevent misuse of social media on phone and the decision will be reviewed shortly.
The decision came hours after carcasses of three cows were found in Jammu’s neighbouring district Udhampur, leading to tension there.
“Three carcasses of slaughtered cows were found behind the SDM office in Chenani tehsil of the district,” Udhampur SSP Mohammad Suleman Choudhary said.
As the word of the incident spread, a large number of people took to the streets. Shops also downed their shutters, he said.
Authorities are also apprehensive of a reaction in Jammu region over the beef party held by an Independent MLA in Kashmir Wednesday, which led to a clash between the legislator and BJP MLAs in the state Assembly Thursday.
Jammu and Kashmir assembly was in uproar again on Thursday morning as several BJP MLAs beat up Independent MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid, known as Engineer Rashid, for hosting a beef party on Wednesday.
Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed has condemned the assault saying, “You cannot manhandle an MLA.
Independent Legislator Er Rashid serving beef ‘Kebabs’ during the beef party in Srinagar
ALSO READ: J&K MLA Hosts Beef Party To Defy High Court Order
“I don’t approve of what has happened, but the way he organised the beef party at the MLA hostel was not right,” said Deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh of the BJP, which partners the Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party or PDP in governing Jammu and Kashmir.
The entire Opposition walked out in protest. “They are killing people in broad daylight and if our members had not saved Engineer Rashid they would have killed him inside the house,” alleged an angry Omar Abdullah of the National Conference.
Independent Jammu and Kashmir legislator MLA Sheikh Abdul Rashid on Wednesday hosted a beef party here in defiance of the High Court order directing implementation of provisions to ban beef and said that no courts or legislature can prevent the people from eating what they want.
The legislator from Langate hosted the party in the lawns of MLA hostel here, with the guests being served beef kebabs, ‘ristas’ (meat balls) and beef patties.
ALSO READ: Congress Will Consider Nationwide Beef Ban, Says Digvijaya Singh
Rashid claimed that he did not want to offend anyone but wanted to send a message that “no courts or legislature can prevent the people from eating what they want”.
He anticipated that a private member bill brought in the Assembly to counter the HC order would be “buried” tomorrow in the House.
His step was “just to give them (legislators) a clear message that it hardly makes any difference whether you accept or reject the bill… religious matters cannot be kept subservient to courts and assembly,” the MLA said.
“Nobody on earth, no assembly, no court and no institution can stop us from having what we want to have,” he added.
ALSO READ: Beef Ban Issue Creates Divide Between PDP & BJP
The beef row erupted after a division bench of High Court in Jammu directed the state to strictly implement the ban in the state as per the law.
The order evoked strong resentment from various quarters with many separatist and religious organisations terming it as “interference in religious affairs” and sought revocation of the law, besides pressing for implementation of ban on liquor in the state.
The issue is now before the Supreme Court.
(With inputs from agencies)