India actively brands and promotes itself as the world’s largest democracy; a sanctum of personal liberty in a troubled region. India’s news media, with its sensational and vociferous criticism of the government (accompanied by blinding on screen graphics), can make even Fox News seem pale, fair, and balanced. Therefore, at first look, India hardly seems like a nation afflicted with state censorship and invasive bans.

However, the Indian Government, on the eve of India’s 69th Independence Day (I assume this is a mere coincidence) has directed Internet Service Providers to ban 857 ‘pornographic websites’. Additionally, as per Section 69 of India’s IT Act (is it still a coincidence?), the providers must comply or else face legal action.

Although I make no claims of being clairvoyant, my interest in India’s political stage was enough for me to foresee that this ban was coming. I wasn’t as shocked as many people were. But what I found surprising was the timing of the ban. The communication to ban the pornographic sites (which strangely even included CollegeHumor.com) was issued a mere week after the Indian Supreme Court ruled that it cannot stop an adult from exercising his personal liberty to watch porn within the confines of his room.

But who am I kidding? It’s the new brazen Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) government. It can do anything that it pleases.

The story begins last year, when the current Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, led the BJP party to a historic win in the general elections. Amidst much fanfare, it formed the government, promising the nation unprecedented development. While it’s hard to agree whether the government has kept its promise and renewed investor sentiment along with repealing antiquated laws, the government has remarkably succeeded in imposing bans. Movies, documentaries, music, and even beef have all fallen prey to the government’s guillotine. The latest ban has been justified by the absurd claim that porn is ‘immoral ‘and indecent’. Even more absurd is their expectation that that banning pornographic content will stymy incidences of rape and sexual assault.

Let me make my stand clear. I am not writing this piece to ridicule the government. I am here to laud the BJP’s efforts. I am willing to brush aside critics who are quick to point that members of the BJP were caught watching porn inside parliament. I am going to support the ban in terms of practicality. There are about four billion porn sites and blocking 857 will surely stop people from watching porn. Of course, there are no proxies, no bypasses, and no DVDs. Blocking 857 websites will surely rid India, the land of Kamasutra, of porn.

India has been plagued by incidents of sexual assault and crimes against women for some time. The Indian government, instead of providing security, safety, and sex education, has gone an extra mile ahead and has decided to attack the very source of sexual violence. Brilliant! While some in the BJP have claimed that the root of sexual assault is the increasing independence of women, others in the party believe western women’s clothing is the culprit. But of course, the all-knowing government has unanimously agreed that it is porn that is destroying Indian culture and causing sexual assault. Yes, they are referring to the same Indian culture that has celebrated alternative gender identity, sensuality, and eroticism.

However, the most laudable part of the ban is that the government has taken upon the responsibility of imposing its will on others. It is taking governance so sincerely that it is governing our own private lives. Truly small government, big governance as Narendra Modi promised on the campaign trail. Instead of doing what usual governments do like developing infrastructure, it has generously agreed to tell us what’s right and what’s wrong. It is genuinely worried that we, as citizens, cannot make good (or bad) decisions and hence has generously obliged to morally police us.

I hope that I have supported the government in my own small way by praising the clampdown. I pity those who are criticizing the government for the porn ban. They shouldn’t be able to express themselves anyway, because their views should be blocked as well.