News and Views on the Ban on Pre-Paid Mobile Phones in Jammu&Kashmir

News:-
Pre-paid SIM-Cards banned in Jammu&Kashmir on 3rd November 2009.

In view of the Terrorists -Activites in the State of Jammu & Kashmir, the Government of India has suddenly banned , all pre-paid SIM- Cards for about 3.8 million Mobile Phone users by an announcement by the Honble.Home Minister of India, Mr.P.Chidambaram with effect from 1st November 2009.

By this ban there will be:-

  • No more new Pre-paid Mobiles and
  • No renewal of the existing pre-paid SIM-cards.

According to the Indian Home Minister of India, the extension of this ban to the other parts of the country and the whole of India is unwarranted as of now.

Views:-
Mobile Phones are a wonderful tool of communications.

There are two broad types of Mobile Phones the details of which must be known to all :-

  • Post-Paid
  • pre-paid.

The credit of making a “Class” mode of communication to a “Mass” mode must certainly go the the Government of India.

The portfolio of Mobile Phones are taken care of by the”Telecom Regulatory Authority of India” (TRAI) .

Due to the combined and co-ordinated efforts and hardwork of the Government of India with the support of Private Business Magnets, the use of Mobile phones in India has enormously increased almost fulfilling the dreams of not only the Ambanis, but also those of the rulers of India as well.

Obviously, anybody can obtain a mobile phone easily with fake address/Id Proof/Photo etc., under the Pre-paid category, in comparison to obtaining Post-paid Mobile connections, subject to strict verification of address and, identification.

In a free country like India “anybody” can obtain “either type” of Mobile Phone. They may use any equipment in any manner they wish.

As recently found out,there is a danger in case of Pre-paid Mobile Phones, as the Terrorists against India, in general, and against the State of Jammu&Kashmir, in particular.

The terrorists along with the innoncent people of India will obtain Pre-paid Mobile Phones easily with fake address and Identification as said above.

Naturally they will use the phones like any other equipment only against India and Jammu&Kashmir.

This ban of Pre-paid Mobile Phone service at Jammu & Kamshmir has:-

  • Caused sudden and unexpected inconvenience to the Mobile Phone users in millions, and
  • left about 20 000 otherwise unemployed youths who were earning from Rs 8000/- to Rs 10 000/- pm from the pre-paid Mobile services.
  • Many persons had started Pre-paid SIM CARD service even by availing Bank/Private Loans for setting up their shops and they are now at a fix.

The matter of imposing the ban on Pre-paid SIM CARD is viewed by the Mobile Phones Users and STD/PCO Owners as:-

  • a wrong decision of the Government of India and
  • while the instructions of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) were followed strictly while verifying credentials of users, the Government’s action is unwarranted.
  • And, this ban from the Home Minister has followed the recent visit of the Prime Minister -Dr.Manmohan Singh to Jammu & Kashmir and flashed a political package to the people of Jammu&Kashmir.

However, Honble. Home Minister of India, Mr.P.Chidambaram reacted to the sentiments of the affected Pre-paid Mobile users and the persons dealing in SIM CARDS by saying:-

  • that the action has been taken in the interest of the country and
  • that the Government has called for a meeting with the Mobile Service Providers to reconcile between the interest of the service providers and the interest of the country in the defence angle and requested all the concerned people
  • not to give a wrong and alarming picture of inconvenience and unemployment.

However, in case of the intention of the Government of India and the Home Minister is true, we can expect the same ban throughout the country, or at least in other states where the terrorists activities are equally dangerous, if not in the same magnitude and dimensions or more, as in Jammu&Kashmir.

However, the deciding authorities will have to face the reaction of various State Governments, both in opposition and in support from within or from outside, blended with multiple political parties.

Many political parties’ supporters will get affected by such a ban, if extended to other states.

We can be assured that our wise rulers/leaders, who are well aware of how and when to reconcile between the country’s security and other factors, will not take such a hasty decisions affecting the stability of the Government of India.

It is surprising to note that how the Post-Paid Mobiles will help in tracing the mis users with the duly verified address, Photo Identification etc.
Let us wait and see as the photo above symbolically suggests. Readers’ comments on the matter of this ban on Pre-paid Mobile are most welcome.

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