Social media users across India lashed out at the BJP-led government for directing the Internet Service Providers (ISPs) in the country to ban more than 850 porn websites, even as more are being reviewed by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

"Certain websites have been reviewed and found to be spreading anti-social activities as hyperlinks from these websites, some of them were pornographic, so we have sent letters to internet service providers to block them. The action has been taken in reference to section 79 of IT Act," Hindustan Times quotes sources from DoT as saying.

Following the directive of the Centre, at least 857 adult websites, including Pornhub, YouPorn and RedTube, have been banned by a few ISPs, while the ministry is still reviewing other sites that can be blocked as well.

"The telecom department sent an order to block 857 websites late on Friday. That is probably why only few ISPs have blocked these over the weekend," The Economic Times quoted its source as saying.

The DoT issued the directives on the order of the court, Information technology secretary RS Sharma told HT.

However, the Supreme Court last month rejected the government's appeal seeking a ban on porn websites in India. "Such interim orders cannot be passed by this court. Somebody may come to the court and say look I am above 18 and how can you stop me from watching it within the four walls of my room. It is a violation of Article 21 [right to personal liberty]," Chief Justice HL Dattu had observed.

The Centre's decision to restrict a person's "right to personal liberty" has outraged many. Several social media users have even compared the government to Taliban for forcing a ban on their fundamental rights. The outraged Twitterati blame the government for, firstly, restricting them from consuming beef in Maharashtra and now, watching porn within confined walls.

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