Telangana govt backs ban on adult content sites: K T Rama Rao

Q&A with Telangana IT minister

Telangana IT minister K T Rama Rao on Tuesday termed Government of India's decision to ban 857 websites with adult content as a right step in the right direction.

Earlier this year a committee constituted by chief minister K Chandrasekhara Rao to review women safety in Telangana suggested that viewing porn is a major contributor to crime against women and recommended blocking of these on-line content. Subsequently the state government had sent a list of hundreds of such websites to the Centre seeking a ban on them. In a brief interaction with B Dasarath Reddy, the minister said his government stands by the Centre's action:

Is the Centre's action in line with what you have asked for?

First and foremost I would like to remind every body that the IT Act of 2008 already has provisions to ban pornography, particularly the child pornographic content. When the government is trying to enforce the law we all have to support that. There have been studies which found a direct correlation between the atrocities on women and children and the usage of pornographic sites.

Do you think the steps taken by the Centre are adequate to address the problem?

There is a piece of legislation which was already in place for the last seven years. In fact, if you ask me, they should have started it earlier.. but better late than never.Those who oppose it and perceive it as an invasion of privacy must know that there is a legislation that backs the government's actions. Government of Telangana stands by it.

What is your view on the Centre's decision to set up an ombudsman to monitor these sites.

As I said said it is a good start in the right direction. What ever the country, the government, the citizens have to do to reduce the number of attacks on our children and women, be it banning pornographic sites or enacting tougher laws, they have to do it.

Do you think the states need to be empowered to act upon on-line pornography?

State governments have enough powers but they do not exercise well enough. So I think each and every state government should realise the fact that the law &order is a state subject. We have enough freedom to act up on these on-line content.