'Draconian' Internet Shutdowns in Parts of India Mean Canadians Can't Contact Family. And it's Happened Before

Tony Huidrom, a Toronto-based medical professional, was visiting family in India's eastern state of Manipur for a month, during which time he had no way of contacting his family in Toronto due to internet blackouts. 

"Once I entered Manipur, I was in the dark for seven days," he said. Now that he's back in Canada, Huidrom says he has to muddle his way through to connect with his 90-year-old father, who's still in India. 

Huidrom's brother works in a government office in India, one of the few places where the Internet still works. Huidrom, mindful of the nine and a half hour time difference, calls his brother's office every day. 

"When I miss the timing of my brother's office hours, I cannot communicate," he said, calling the government's move to ban the internet inhumane and unacceptable. 

"That's the crudest form of punishment to the public, showing their naked failure to control the violence, and this is not the only time we've had something like this," Huidrom said.

VIA CBC