Mamata cartoon: Prof thrown in jail; Is this Democracy ?

2012-04-20T20:48:00.002-07:00

Kolkata: all signs are that Mamata Banerjee is going berserk with her political intolerance – virtually banning newspapers and books, and now even banning cartoons that make fun of her. According to latest reports, West Bengal police on Friday morning arrested a Jadavpur University professor for allegedly spreading “anti-Mamata Banerjee” cartoons on the internet.

Ambikesh Mahapatra, a teacher in the chemistry department of the Jadavpur University, was attacked by Trinammol Congress workers on Thursday night when he was returning home.

Prof Mahapatra was allegedly arrested for forwarding “derogatory images” of the West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee to many recipients and mocking Trinamool government’s policies. Police have charged Ambikesh Mahapatra with cyber crime offences. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee is coming down hard on any opposition.

News portal Ibnlive reported that a professor from Jadavpur University was arrested for spreading ‘anti-Mamata Banerjee’ cartoon on the Internet.

The Website reported that Ambikesh Mahapatra, a Chemistry professor, was rounded by the police late on Saturday and section 166 was slapped on him for forwarding ‘derogatory images’ of Mamata. The allegations have been termed as unprecedented by experts, and the professor is scheduled to be produced at the Alipore court. Prof Mahapatra would be produced in the Alipore court later today.

Police say he forwarded doctored images of Ms Banerjee, former Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, whom she recently sacked, and his replacement Mukul Roy. The cartoon went viral on the social networking site Facebook. Ms Banerjee sacked Mr Trivedi in March for not consulting her before presenting the railway budget, which included small but controversial fare increases. The cartoon is a take on Oscar-winning late Bengali filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s film Sonar Kella, or The Golden Fort. It criticises Ms Banerjee’s performance as a former railway minister. It also pokes fun at her for sacking Mr Trivedi from the same role.

Rebel Trinamool Congress MP Kabir Suman slammed the police for making the arrests. “What has been forwarded in the website is an innocent expression and it is difficult to accept that a person can be arrested on the basis of this,” he said. Educationists Sunanda Sanyal, who has parted ways with Ms. Banerjee in recent time, condemned the arrest and said it was made “on a flimsy ground.” Noted writer Sunil Gangopadhyay said that the arrests were a pointer to the dictatorial attitude of the ruling party “which is ominous.” “I fail to understand how arrests can be made over cartoons which are natural expressions in a democracy and want to know when politicians will learn to ignore cartoons,” The writer demanded immediate release of the professor.

[The 'cartoon' that led to JU professor's arrest. From top to bottom: 1. Mamata Banerjee points to Indian Railways' logo and tells Mukul Roy: See Mukul, the Golden Fortress; 2. Mukul Roy points to former railway minister Dinesh Trivedi and exclaims: That's an evil man!!!; 3. Mamata says: Evil man, vanish!]

Source: http://www.bihardays.com/6nation/mamata-sans-humour-chemistry-prof-arrested-mamata-cartoon/

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2012-04-15T09:26:00.000-07:00

Indian Political League (IPL)

Mamata cartoon: Prof thrown in jail; Is this Democracy ?

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