Blogs blocked; is Emergency coming?

New Delhi: Internet users were in for a mind -'blog'gling experience on Monday when they could not access Blogspot, one of the most popular blog-hosting websites.

After the July 11 Mumbai blasts, a Government order had directed all Internet service providers (ISP) to block access to certain websites.

But why the gag?

ISPs say they were asked to block countrywide access to a list of nearly 20 websites, including Dalitstan.org, Clickatell.com, Hinduunity.com, Princesskimberly.blogspot.com and Hinduhumanrights.org, as they spread “extreme views”.

IBNLive readers were outraged with the Government and condemned attempts to muzzle their rights.

Says Anju Chandel, “The step to control blogosphere could eventually lead to Government controlling the entire media. The Media Regulation Bill is coming into effect soon, anyway. Are we heading towards Emergency – II?

Dalitistan.org was a website that had good readership and page-views till two days ago. Today, it features on the list of blocked websites for churning out “communally-sensitive” content.

Says Vidya Bhushan Rawat: “I am a blogger and run my own blog. I am also a human rights activist and run an organisation. As a freethinker devoted to freedom and cause of freedom of creation, expression, I say, government reaction is typically babu-type. This government cannot fight terrorism by such nonsense. Ideas have to fought with ideas. It is more tragic because we claim to be super meritorious in Software technology. Secondly, we are opposed to any idea of censorship at all. The Government has with it, everything, the news-channels, the print media, please give us some space for dissent. You cannot control the voices of those who differ of the selfstyled mainstream ideas. Internet has revolutionaised freedom and creativity and all those who believe in freedom and freethinking traditions, human rights and dissent, must oppose the government foolish act.”

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His views were echoed by many. “This is a shameful act to stop harmless, like-minded-people from discussing the state of their religion and their country. The Goverment, instead of cyber-policing, should try to hatch the plans of the harmful terrorists,” another reader, Vipul says.

While some feel censorship the completely uncalled for, others advice a more cautious approach.

Says Satish, “Government can and should block websites/blogs which are against national interest. All conventional media do have license, censor or something of that kind. So it’s a welcome move to have one for electronic media.”

“If you want to block hatemongering websites and blogs, you must stop hatemongering sermons, pamphlets and books,” Vidya says.

Government officials could not be reached for comment, but Gulshan Rai, director of the state-run Computer Emergency Response Team of the Information Technology Ministry, said the order issued by the Government targeted only four blogs hosted on www.blogspot.com.

Angry Internet users across India exchanged mails and flooded message boards with postings to report that blogs could not be opened.

Experts, however, said that users could still access many blogs by connecting to them through third-party Web sites that the government had not blocked.

Sarabjit Roy, a cyber law expert, said blocking Web sites was a mindless exercise.

''It shows that our bureaucrats don't understand technology at all,'' he said.