More than 1,500 Jio telecommunication towers in Punjab alone went out of service in December.
New Delhi:
Reliance Industries approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court today to ask the government to protect its assets and services in the two states against “criminals” who had damaged several of its telecommunications towers a few days ago. The facility was allegedly vandalized by farmers angered by the company’s perceived role in crafting three farm bills recently passed by Parliament.
They expressed their anger by cutting off the power supply, cutting telecommunication tower cables and damaging the infrastructure of Reliance Jio. The culprits apparently viewed the Mukesh Ambani-owned company as one of the main beneficiaries of farm laws passed in September. Thousands of farmers have been protesting for more than a month against these laws that they consider detrimental to their long-term interests.
More than 1,500 of Reliance Jio’s 9,000 telecommunications towers in Punjab were taken out of service in December. A company representative had told NDTV that the towers had been affected due to physical damage, power outages or theft of generators.
Punjab’s chief minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, had issued a stern warning against such vandalism, asking the police to act strictly in such cases. However, so far no cases have been filed in this regard, much less arrests.
RIL, through Reliance Jio Infocomm, moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court today, seeking urgent government intervention to “completely end illegal acts of vandalism by wrongdoers,” said a statement released by RIL. Although he thanked the authorities for their action against the criminals so far, “he sought punitive and dissuasive measures against the criminals and vested interests.”
“These acts of violence have endangered the lives of thousands of its employees and caused damage and disruption to vital communications infrastructure, points of sale and services managed by its subsidiaries in the two states,” the statement read . “Criminals who commit acts of vandalism have been instigated and aided by vested interests and our business rivals.”
According to the company, these vested interests were taking advantage of farmer agitation to launch a “relentless, malicious and motivated smear campaign against Reliance.”
The company said it had nothing to do with farm laws as it has no interest in corporate or contract farming – a key argument from agitated farmers.
“Reliance Retail, Reliance Jio Infocomm or any other affiliate of our parent company, that is, Reliance Industries has not done any ‘corporate’ or ‘contract’ farming in the past, and has absolutely no plans to go into this business.” it reads said, also denying any land purchases in Punjab or Haryana with that purpose in mind. “At Reliance we have immense gratitude and the utmost respect for the Kisses, Who are the ‘anna data‘of 1.3 billion Indians. “
RIL’s statement came on a day when the government was scheduled to hold talks again with protesting farmers in New Delhi.
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