Government blocks websites
By agencies   |   Wednesday, 19 July 2006, 19:30 IST
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NEW DELHI: Following the deadly blast that rocked Mumbai last week leaving over 200 dead, the Indian Government has resorted to blocking certain websites as a precaution to monitor all communication channels. The government has directed DoT (Department of Telecommunications) and over 150 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block 18 websites. Dalitstan, hinduunity, Blogspot.com, typepad.com and geocities figure among the blocked sites. It is not immediately clear till what time period this blockade will be in force. IP numbers are being physically located and identified. According to the Government, terror groups could use these sites to communicate and spread provocative messages. Deepak Maheshwari, secretary, Internet Service Providers Association of India (ISPAI) said the Association was acting on the instructions from the government. Meanwhile, the rest of the nation has criticized this move restored to by the government, including the software industry. Terming the government s decision to block these sites as "neither desirable nor feasible," NASSCOM President Kiran Karnik said, "The Internet should be a free media. If you stop the media, rumors float very fast and it is not desirable." All should come back to normal once this operation is over. There is no ban in place. No reasons have been given as to why Livejournal and Wordpress have been spared.

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