Ban porn sites fuelling rise in sexual crimes: Nitish Kumar urges PM

Patna: Chief Minister Nitish Kumar who had blamed porn sites for crimes like Hyderabad gang rape-cum murder and a few similar incidents in Bihar, has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to ban all "porn sites and inappropriate content" available online.

In the letter, Kumar expressed "pain and serious concern" over the increasing number of gang rape cases which have agitated the general public.

"It will be my request to take appropriate action to ban all porn sites and inappropriate content available on internet immediately after giving due consideration to the serious issue," an official release said quoting the letter penned on Monday.

Kumar also wrote that people, especially children and youths, are watching porn, violent and inappropriate content on internet due to its unlimited reach to them. The incidents (of gang rape and crime against women) take place in some cases because of the impact of these sites, he added.

"People make videos of heinous acts (rape) against girls and women and get them uploaded on social media such as Whatsapp, Facebook etc. Such content, which seriously affect the minds of children and youths, have been found as factors responsible for crimes (against women)," he said.

Long-term use of such content negatively affect the mind of some people, which gives rise to social problems and increases the number of cases of crime against women, the CM said.

Expressing anguish over horrific gang rape and murder case of Hyderabad succeded by a couple of similar incidents in Buxar and Samastipur districts of Bihar, Kumar had in the first week of December blamed internet platforms proffering voyeuristic pleasure through video clips of rapes purportedly filmed by the perpetrators themselves.

Kumar had said he would write to the Centre seeking a complete ban on such sites across the country.

Kumar had made the remark on a day when four suspects of the rape and murder of a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad were killed in a police encounter on December 6.

Less than a week after the incident in the southern metropolis caused nationwide outrage, charred bodies of unidentified women were found on two consecutive days in Buxar and Samastipur after suspected sexual assault.

Talking about the laws meant to regulate inappropriate contents, Kumar said that though certain provisions have been made in the Information Technology Act, 2000 (such as amendment in 2008), these are not proving to be effective.

The Supreme Court has also given several guidelines to the government on the issue.

"In my view, the unlimited access to such inappropriate content cannot be allowed in the name of freedom of speech and expression. There is a need to take effective measures for redressal of crimes against women and children," Kumar said.

Stating that Internet Service Providers need to be given firm instructions, he asserted the need for carrying out comprehensive awareness campaigns.