mumbai first try message friends whatsapp credit card readers clothe store work ride-sharing apps offline harsh madhok run clothe business jaipur city three million people read internet shutdowns elsewhere india middle one city central india authorities try damp unrest follow traffic incident lead clash police locals frustrate say madhok 45 sept. shutdown things leave feel like know go rule prime minister narendra modi india hindu nationalist leader internet shutdowns escalate sharply world large democracy accord database maintain software freedom law centre online advocacy group new delhi government officials order shutdowns 42 time january august 2017. compare six time 2014 modi first come power year shutdowns spread 11 state compare one 2012. disconnections state governments say necessary maintain public order typically happen without official explanation follow farmer agitations protest minority community call government job public violence spark facebook post frequency shutdowns raise concern internal security use justification clamp freedom expression refrain hear frequently since modi party bharatiya janata party bjp elections 2014 emphasis security citizens use internet mobilize shut internet different suppress dissent editorial mint ask july year shutdowns implement colonial-era curfew laws use basis rule require internet service providers shut connections request government agency early august ministry communications issue new explicit rule formalize power state central government block internet rule among first kind democracy say raman jit singh chima policy director access u.s.-based organization work technology policy digital right worldwide use scale seem create architecture block legitimize chima say change think officials great knowledge power utilize say apar gupta lawyer handle free-speech case supreme court countries egypt also use internet shutdowns china control flow online information extensive firewall however analysts like chima worry frequency shutdowns india rise sharply since modi come power january 2012 date first shutdown record software freedom law centre sflc may 2014 bjp sweep rule coalition head congress party local federal officials order 12 shutdowns since modi election 89 shutdowns order 74 behest party ally central state district level analysis sflc data show far shutdowns meet little opposition apart frustration express users like madhok curtail online service outcry shutdowns perceive great good say nitin pai co-founder takshashila institution bangalore think tank nalin kohli national spokesman bjp say shutdowns acceptable case rumor-mongering motivate misinformation could lead incitement violence add norm exception jaipur shutdown last two days disconnections last hours weeks even months june statement human right watch say authorities jammu kashmir suspend mobile internet service kashmir region july november 2016. office un high commissioner human right say restrictions kashmir region 100 people die clash since troop kill militant leader july 2016 character collective punishment 2016 gupta lawyer argue india supreme court behalf law student early approach gujarat high court restrict internet shutdowns high court disagree say officials use power responsibly supreme court decline hear matter let high court verdict stand grow unease india curb net keep peace