"The internet cafes are the only source of IT education for many people who cannot afford a personal computer at home. Attacks on cyber cafes will force many owners to shut shop. This will have an adverse effect on business and IT awareness," Association of Public Internet Access Providers president Ashish Saboo told PTI.

"Due to these controversies, people will stop visiting cyber cafes. Many may even opt out of IT education. This will adversely impact the industry," the president of APIAP, a self help group of independent cyber cafe operators, said.

His remarks came in the wake of attacks on cyber cafes in suburban Mumbai by Shiv Sainiks to protest controversial remarks regarding party chief Bal Thackeray. The comments were posted on the social networking website Orkut.

"It is a political problem. Politicians don't understand how IT works. There are enough remedies in Orkut to counter such a virtual verbal attack," Saboo said. If there is anything offensive in the community, the message can be flagged by voicing a protest over the remark.

If there are a large number of such protests posted online, the group will withdraw the comment.

"Shiv Sena itself has benefited from Orkut. It has 60 communities dedicated to the party. Only a few are voicing their protest against Shiv Sena. It should launch a virtual verbal counter-attack through the site," he said.