Kanpur-based cartoonist Aseem Trivedi who was arrested on charges of posting seditious contents on his website is seen outside a Mumbai court. PTI
The arrest of cartoonist Aseem Trivedi for allegedly displaying questionable caricatures of Parliament, the national emblem and the Constitution has sparked outrage among people.
Aseem was remanded to police custody till September 16 after being produced before a holiday court on Sunday.
His arrest has been criticised by voices from across the board. Aseem's family and other anti-corruption activists criticised the move claiming there was nothing unpatriotic about his cartoons.
"My son has done no wrong. He was only expressing his opinion and certain people have misunderstood his work. He was only showing how corruption has plagued the system. Only the truth," said Ashok Trivedi, Aseem Trivedi's father.
Justice Markandey Katju, Press Council of India chairman, on Sunday defended Aseem Trivedi saying the cartoonist has done nothing illegal.
"My opinion is that the cartoonist did nothing illegal. In a democracy many things are said, some truthful and others false," Katju said in a statement.
To drive home his point, Katju recalled his own words as a judge and said he used to often say in court that people can call him a fool or crook inside the court or outside but he will never initiate contempt of court proceedings, because either the allegation is true, "in which case I deserve it, or it is false, in which case I will ignore it".
"These are occupational hazards, and politicians, like judges, must learn to put up with them," Katju said.
He maintained that arresting a cartoonist or any other person who has not committed a crime is itself a crime under the Indian Penal Code as it is a wrongful arrest and wrongful confinement.
Aseem's arrest is a curb on a citizen's freedom of expression and charging him with sedition is outrageous, lawyers also said.
"Trivedi is not dishonouring anything, he is expressing his ideologies and viewpoints through his cartoons. Only people of low intellect don't understand that. His arrest is a complete curb on freedom of expression," Mahesh Jethmalani, criminal lawyer, said.
An IAC spokesperson alleged Trivedi "was badly roughed up and pushed into the police vehicle where his head banged against the vehicle body".
"We are shocked at the way an artist and activist is being treated by police. The IAC Mumbai will always support freedom of expression which is the right of every individual given to us by the constitution," the spokesperson said.
Social Media was also abuzz after Aseem's arrest with everyone criticising his arrest and pledging full support to him.
Everyone took to Twitter to show their protest and support to the cartoonist. A message was also circulated on Twitter insisting Twiterrati to change their display picture to the cartoon (depicting national emblem as wollf) for which Aseem was booked.
Music Director Vishal Dadlani changed his display picture and tweeted, "It is an artist's duty to be a mirror to the Nation. #AseemTrivedi has done no wrong by showing the tragic state of India. #FreeAseem".
Kiran Bedi on her tweet said, "Cartoons are an expression of reality. Instead of reacting by use of state power, why not consider these as an opportunity to reflect?"
Edited By Cen Fox Post Team
