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Trivedi's arrest: Land in prison for raising voice against corruption
Award-winning political cartoonist and anti-corruption activist, Aseem Trivedi arrested on sedition charges faces up to three years imprisonment allegedly for mocking the Indian constitution. One wonders how can a government be so ruthless in suppressing the citizens' voice who dare to criticise it for corrupt practices.

I DON'T know whether 'might is right' or 'right is might' stands true in a free democratic country like India. The cartoons made by Kanpur-based cartoonist Aseem Trivedi during Anna Hazare's movement against corruption have landed him in trouble – he has been arrested on sedition charges, facing up to three years in prison.

Award-winning political cartoonist and anti-corruption activist was remanded in police custody till September 16 by a court in Bandra, Mumbai. He was arrested on Saturday night on charges of sedition, cyber-crime and insulting the national symbol, Parliament and the Constitution through his pen and other activities.

Additional police commissioner, Vishwas Nangre Patil told a press conference that the complaint against Mr. Trivedi was filed after the India Against Corruption (IAC) agitation at the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority (MMRDA) grounds at Bandra Kurla Complex, which started on December 27, last year.

In other words, we can say that freedom of press is being curtailed as Justice Kataju also said the same thing and condemned the arrest of cartoonist. What a wonderful coordination of all the three parts of government named judiciary, executive and legislative branches.

If Manish Tiwari of ruling party is publicly criticizing the CAG report, he is being ignored by administration but if the award-winning cartoonist is not criticizing any such reputed institution and instead making cartoon of Bhrashatmev Jayte (victory of corruption), he is thrown behind bars?

Mr. Trivedi’s ‘Cartoons Against Corruption’ website was also banned by the Mumbai police. Months later, a non-bailable warrant was issued against him. On August 30, a team of the Mumbai Police went to his home at Shuklaganj in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district to execute the warrant, but found he was out of city. The team then questioned Mr. Trivedi’s father, a senior citizen, about for more than four hours. Later, it asked the Shuklaganj police to speak to Mr Trivedi and ask him to surrender in Mumbai. It is really true that might is right, which is really shown in a banned cartoon.

The activists, Aseem Trivedi and Alok Dixit, also launched the ‘Save Your Voice’ campaign for Internet freedom after the cartoonist’s website was banned. Police lodged an FIR against Mr. Trivedi on the basis of a December complaint of social activist Amit Arvind Katarnaware. He said that Mr Trivedi's cartoons are an insult of the constitution. It is ridiculous that the people who are really corrupt are sitting in their high chairs while the public who are only raising voice against it are thrown behind bars.

COMMENTS (2)
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Girish Rathi
Ya a cartoon is considered defamatory to the state and insulting but watching porn in the assembly or parliament is not..!! Heights of double standards.. we should officially declare we are living in the dark age again.
Vesh Narayan
It is very sad day for Indian Democracy. Sedition charges on a patriot. Shame on Government.
merinews for RTI activists

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