Cartoons by Kirtish Bhatt

Jantar Mantar Protest Cartoon Mocks Notice Asking Actor Imran Khan to Leave India

2026-10-16T11:24:15.733+05:30

A political cartoon takes a satirical look at the controversy surrounding actor Imran Khan and a reported notice asking him to leave India. The illustration connects the issue with protests at Jantar Mantar, using humour to question the distinction between Indian citizens raising their voices and a foreign national participating in demonstrations.

The cartoon features a policeman holding a baton beside a Jantar Mantar sign, while two people carrying a protest placard appear to be moving away. Two birds perched on the sign deliver the punchline, pointing out the irony of citizens in their own country being unable to protest while a foreigner was participating in one.

The humour comes from the contrast between the police action and the birds' sarcastic observation. By using Jantar Mantar as the backdrop, the cartoon refers to a location widely associated with public demonstrations, political campaigns and demands for accountability in New Delhi.

Political cartoons often use exaggeration and irony to question official decisions and encourage readers to look beyond the immediate headlines. This illustration uses a familiar public space and a simple visual metaphor to raise questions about protest rights, citizenship and the treatment of people who express dissent.

The reference to Imran Khan adds a contemporary political dimension to the cartoon, while the dialogue turns the scene into a pointed comment on the perceived contradictions surrounding public demonstrations.

With its straightforward drawing and sharp punchline, the cartoon invites readers to reflect on the space available for peaceful protest and the way authorities respond to people who challenge decisions. It is a satirical take on the intersection of politics, public dissent and freedom of expression in India.

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt

Centre Removes Jantar Mantar Protest Zones, Sparking Satire Over Name and Political Symbolism

2026-10-15T11:15:16.366+05:30

The Centre’s decision to remove designated protest areas at Jantar Mantar inspires a sharp take on the changing space for public demonstrations in India. In this political cartoon, a politician makes a sarcastic suggestion: if the name Jantar Mantar itself has become a headache, why not change that too?

Jantar Mantar in New Delhi has long been associated with demonstrations, public campaigns and citizens raising their voices on issues of national importance. The landmark has become a familiar gathering place for people seeking to draw the government’s attention to their demands.

The humour lies in the politician’s suggestion that the name itself should be changed because it has become synonymous with trouble. The remark offers a tongue-in-cheek take on restrictions on designated protest spaces and raises questions about how authorities respond to public dissent.

With its simple visual style and sharp dialogue, the cartoon highlights the relationship between protests, political accountability and freedom of expression. It invites readers to reflect on whether removing a designated protest venue addresses the underlying issues or merely changes the setting in which public grievances are expressed.

Political cartoons often use irony to raise questions that conventional political statements leave unanswered. This illustration turns a decision about a protest venue into a broader comment on the space available for democratic dissent in India.

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhattt

Delhi Protest: Cartoon Questions Police Action Against Journalists Covering Demonstration

2026-10-14T11:43:03.872+05:30

This political cartoon takes a sharp look at allegations of police misconduct against journalists covering a protest. It highlights a troubling question: when reporters face intimidation or physical force while doing their jobs, who protects the people responsible for reporting what is happening?

The cartoon shows two police officers holding a visibly frightened journalist by the arms. His press identity card hangs around his neck, making his profession clear. In the background, other people appear to be running amid the commotion. The scene captures the vulnerability of a journalist caught between the responsibility to report events and the force being used to control the situation.

The contrast between the sarcastic dialogue and the physical scene is central to the satire. It exposes the gap between the public image of a loud, influential media and the reality that individual journalists can face risks while covering protests and public demonstrations.

The cartoon also draws attention to press freedom and accountability. Journalists need to be able to report on public events without being subjected to unjustified intimidation or violence. At the same time, any allegation of misconduct deserves proper investigation rather than being dismissed or assumed to be proven without evidence.

Through dark humour, the cartoon asks whether a media that is often criticised for being too loud can still be vulnerable when it reports from the ground.

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt

CJP Protest in Delhi Sees Heavy Police Deployment, Cartoon Highlights the Irony of Security

2026-10-12T15:55:48.951+05:30

A massive police deployment to manage a protest in Delhi becomes the subject of this political cartoon, which uses irony to question the scale of the security arrangements around the demonstration organised by the Campaign for Judicial Accountability and Reforms (CJP).

The cartoon shows a large gathering of police personnel packed together near a sign reading “Jantar Mantar,” a familiar venue for demonstrations in the capital. The caption explains that heavy police forces have been deployed in Delhi because of the CJP protest. Amid the crowd, one police officer makes a sarcastic observation: “This looks strange. Even though we are the police, we are surrounded by police from all sides.”

That line is the heart of the cartoon. The officers, who are usually associated with maintaining order and controlling crowds, appear to be hemmed in by their own colleagues. The exaggerated scene turns a large security presence into a visual joke about over-deployment and the atmosphere surrounding public demonstrations.

The satire also raises a broader question about how authorities balance public order with the right to peaceful protest. Police deployment may be intended to manage crowds, prevent clashes and maintain security. However, an overwhelming presence can also create an impression of excessive control, particularly when citizens gather to express dissent or raise concerns.

By showing police officers surrounded by other police officers, the cartoon shifts attention away from the protesters and towards the security arrangements themselves. The joke is not simply about the number of personnel present; it is about a situation in which the machinery meant to control a crowd seems to have become a crowd of its own.

With a single punchline and a tightly packed group of uniformed officers, the cartoon offers a pointed comment on protest management, policing and the fine line between maintaining order and creating an atmosphere of intimidation.

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt

Delhi Police Accused of Blocking Protesters, Cartoon Turns Tomato Shopping Into Political Satire

2026-10-10T23:37:01.903+05:30

This political cartoon takes a humorous look at the reported attempts to stop people from reaching a BJP protest in Delhi. It shows a young woman being escorted by a group of police officers, who appear determined to keep her away from the demonstration.

The joke comes from the woman’s explanation. She tells the officers that she is carrying tomatoes because she has sent someone to buy them for her. She insists that she is not going to the protest. In other words, an ordinary shopping trip has become suspicious enough to invite police attention.

The cartoon’s caption makes the political context clear: “Delhi: Attempts to stop people from reaching the CJP protest.” The contrast between the caption and the woman’s innocent-sounding explanation creates the satire. The police appear so focused on preventing people from joining the demonstration that even someone claiming to be out for groceries becomes part of the scene.

The tomato reference adds a familiar everyday detail. Tomatoes are a common household purchase, but their prices have also become a recurring symbol of the cost-of-living pressures faced by Indian families. Here, however, the main joke is not about inflation; it is about the difficulty of distinguishing a genuine protester from an ordinary citizen when authorities are trying to control access to a political gathering.

The cartoon raises a broader question about the balance between public order and the freedom to assemble and protest. Police may impose restrictions for security or crowd management, but such measures can become controversial when people feel they are being prevented from exercising their democratic rights.

Through a simple visual gag, the cartoon turns a routine errand into a pointed comment on policing, political demonstrations and the treatment of citizens in public spaces.

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt

BJP’s Viksit Bharat 2047 Vision Faces a Reality Check Over Development Timelines

2026-10-09T11:13:35.457+05:30

The BJP’s vision of a “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India) by 2047 is the target of this political cartoon, which questions whether the country can achieve its ambitious development goals within the promised timeframe.

The cartoon shows a man holding a placard marked “2047,” representing the government’s long-term vision for India. A woman standing at the doorway challenges his timeline with a pointed remark: “You keep talking about development. There isn’t that much time. Make it 2035–36.” Her words turn a grand national ambition into a demand for quicker, more visible results.

The humour lies in the contrast between a distant deadline and the impatience of ordinary people. The year 2047 marks the centenary of India’s independence, and the Viksit Bharat vision imagines the country becoming developed by then. But the cartoon asks a simple question: should citizens have to wait until 2047 to see meaningful improvements in their everyday lives?

The woman’s demand to bring the deadline forward to 2035–36 is not necessarily a literal policy proposal. It is a satirical way of expressing impatience with promises that stretch far into the future. People judge development through what they experience today: better roads, reliable public services, employment opportunities, affordable living costs, and improved access to education and healthcare.

The cartoon does not dismiss the idea of a developed India. Instead, it pokes fun at the gap between announcing a distant national goal and delivering tangible progress in the present. Long-term planning matters, but citizens also want milestones they can see and benefits they can feel.

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt

RBI Repo Rate Hike Targets Inflation, But Common Man Feels the EMI Pressure

2026-10-08T12:09:50.724+05:30

The Reserve Bank of India’s decision to raise the repo rate becomes a sharp and humorous economic joke in this cartoon. The stated aim of a repo rate hike is to control inflation by making borrowing more expensive and reducing excessive demand in the economy. But for an ordinary borrower, the impact can feel very different.

The cartoon shows a common man trying to kill a fly sitting on his head. The fly represents inflation, constantly irritating him with the rising cost of everyday life. Instead of using a small object to swat it, the man reaches for a huge brick labelled “REPO RATE.” The visual exaggeration creates the central joke: the weapon being used to fight inflation is so heavy that the person using it may end up hurting himself.

The paper marked “EMI” in his hand adds another layer to the satire. When interest rates rise, borrowing costs can increase, and borrowers with loans linked to floating interest rates may face higher EMIs or a longer repayment burden, depending on how their lenders pass on the change.

That creates the dilemma captured by the cartoon. Inflation puts pressure on household budgets, but measures taken to control inflation can also create financial pressure for people who already have home loans, personal loans or other borrowings.

The cartoon does not question the need to control inflation as much as it pokes fun at the uncomfortable side effect of the remedy. The common man wants the inflation “fly” gone, but the giant repo-rate brick comes with its own price.

With simple imagery, the cartoon asks a familiar economic question: when fighting inflation, who ultimately feels the pain of the cure?

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt

Rahul Gandhi Climbs Barricades During Anti-SIR Protest, Inspiring a New Barrier Challenge

2026-10-07T11:17:35.362+05:30

The cartoon takes a humorous look at Rahul Gandhi’s dramatic climb over police barricades during the Opposition’s protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. On October 6, INDIA bloc MPs marched from Parliament towards the Election Commission headquarters in New Delhi, demanding action over alleged irregularities in the SIR process and calling for Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation. Police stopped the march with barricades, but Rahul Gandhi climbed over them before the protest later moved to the Akashvani Bhawan premises.

The cartoon takes that moment and imagines its hilarious consequence. The headline reports that Rahul Gandhi climbed the barricades during the Opposition march. The central character then delivers the punchline: “A high-level meeting has been called to make new barricades that nobody can climb over.”

The cartoon imagines officials responding to Rahul Gandhi’s feat by treating the barricade as the problem. Instead of asking why the protesters were determined to cross it, they are supposedly preparing for an even more formidable version. The exaggerated “high-level meeting” makes the situation even funnier, suggesting that considerable administrative energy may now be devoted to designing a barricade capable of defeating one determined politician.

The visual also captures the unusual spectacle of a senior opposition leader physically climbing a police barrier during a major political protest. Rahul Gandhi’s barricade-climbing moment quickly became one of the defining images of the demonstration.

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt

From Detention to SIR: A Voters’ Journey with No Clear Destination

2026-10-06T11:25:24.086+05:30

This cartoon takes a satirical look at the growing political controversy around the Election Commission and the protests demanding accountability from the Chief Election Commissioner.

In the first frame, protesters are packed into a detention vehicle after demonstrating at Jantar Mantar. Their simple question — “Where are you taking us?” — captures the uncertainty and frustration often felt when protesters are detained during political demonstrations. The vehicle itself carries the word “DETENTION”, making the situation clear without needing a long explanation.

But the cartoon then takes an unexpected turn. The next vehicle is marked “SIR”, a reference to the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls. This time, the people running behind the vehicle are asking, “Where are you leaving us?” The visual joke lies in the similarity between the two situations: whether people are being taken away in a detention vehicle or being moved into the complicated process of SIR, the cartoon suggests that ordinary citizens are left wondering where exactly they stand.

The Jantar Mantar sign anchors the cartoon in the setting of public protest, while the two buses create a visual contrast between detention and the electoral-roll revision exercise. The humour is deliberately simple, but the underlying point is sharper: when political decisions and election-related processes become confusing, citizens can feel as though they are being taken along a route whose destination has not been properly explained.

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt

If Gandhiji were alive in 2026, what would happen to him? - Cartoons

2026-10-02T23:58:57.299+05:30

On the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti, this cartoon series imagines a playful but pointed question: If Mahatma Gandhi were alive in 2026, what would he be doing in today’s India? October 2 marks Gandhi Jayanti, commemorating Mahatma Gandhi’s birth anniversary. In 2026, the country is observing his 157th birth anniversary, with official programmes once again highlighting his ideas of truth, non-violence, simplicity and public service.

The cartoons bring Gandhi into the world of smartphones, social media, political protests and contemporary public life. Instead of simply presenting him as a historical figure frozen in textbooks and portraits, the series asks what his methods of protest and communication might look like in the digital age.

In one cartoon, Gandhi is imagined sitting at the charkha while someone holds up a smartphone and asks him to look at a photograph in a WhatsApp group. The familiar symbol of self-reliance is humorously placed alongside modern digital communication.

Another cartoon imagines Gandhi taking part in a protest, walking with a placard while a journalist asks whether he is “breaking the rules.” The contrast between his traditional non-violent protest methods and the language of contemporary public demonstrations forms the central joke.

A third cartoon plays with the modern political and religious landscape, with Gandhi responding when someone asks whether he has taken the name of Ram and whether he has visited Ayodhya. The reference connects Gandhi’s well-known association with “Ram” to contemporary debates surrounding Ayodhya and religion.

The final cartoon returns to Gandhi’s historic use of fasting as a form of protest. Here, he is shown sitting on a hunger strike while someone suggests that he join their political party and become a minister.

Together, the cartoons ask how Gandhi’s familiar tools — the charkha, non-violence, protest, fasting and moral persuasion — might translate into the realities of 2026. The humour comes from placing an iconic figure of India’s freedom movement inside the very different political, social and technological environment of today.

Cartoons by - Kirtish Bhatt

Cartoon on SIR Controversy: Voter Asks for His Deleted Vote Back

2026-10-02T12:24:04.246+05:30

The Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has triggered a wider debate over the process of updating and verifying voter lists across India. The Election Commission of India has undertaken the exercise to revise electoral rolls, while its voter-services portal allows electors to search their names, check electoral-roll details and seek corrections or enrolment.

This cartoon looks at the controversy from the perspective of an ordinary voter. The headline in the cartoon refers to allegations of irregularities in SIR. Two men are shown discussing the situation while pointing towards a notice asking people to vote. The central character makes a simple but pointed statement: “There is neither election, nor he is candidate. He is a voter, sir. He is asking for his vote back after it was cut in SIR.”

The satire focuses on the difference between being eligible to vote and actually finding one's name on the electoral roll. The cartoon imagines a voter whose name has been removed during the revision process and turns that situation into an absurd question: if the voter has no candidate to choose from because his electoral status itself has become uncertain, how does he get his vote back?

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt

Gadkari’s Flying Buses: When Potholes Turn Roads Into Launchpads

2026-10-01T12:07:44.554+05:30

A satirical take on India’s pothole-ridden roads, where a bus appears to take flight after hitting a massive pothole. The cartoon humorously imagines Union Minister Nitin Gadkari becoming the man responsible for “flying buses,” while a passenger points out that buses are not flying at all—the broken roads are launching them into the air. The cartoon highlights the persistent problem of potholes and poor road conditions through sharp political satire.

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt

Supreme Court Suggests Adding Pending Traffic Fines to Electricity Bills - Cartoon

2026-09-30T11:32:10.082+05:30

The cartoon takes a humorous look at a suggestion by the Supreme Court to explore linking unpaid traffic challans with electricity bills. The idea is presented through a simple but sharp visual joke: if different kinds of outstanding dues can be brought together, perhaps there is no end to the possibilities.

The cartoon extends the logic of adding traffic fines to electricity bills by humorously suggesting that other everyday payments could also find their way onto the same bill. The exaggerated idea creates the punchline while drawing attention to how an administrative solution can sound increasingly unusual when applied beyond its original purpose.

At the heart of the cartoon is the relationship between citizens and multiple government payments. Traffic fines and electricity bills normally belong to completely different systems, but bringing them together raises questions about how efficiently outstanding dues can be recovered and how far such mechanisms should go.

Rather than taking a technical position on the proposal, the cartoon uses exaggeration to make the viewer imagine what could happen if this approach keeps expanding. The humour lies in turning an unusual administrative suggestion into an apparently endless list of possible additions to a household bill.

Cartoon by : Kirtish Bhatt

Madras High Court Reminds Media That TRPs Aren’t Everything That Matters

2026-09-29T11:48:12.573+05:30

This political cartoon satirizes the media’s obsession with Television Rating Points (TRPs) in the age of intense news competition. The cartoon refers to a Madras High Court observation urging the media to remember that there are things more important than TRPs.

The cartoon shows two television news anchors sitting at a news desk. One looks puzzled as the message from the court appears above them: “मद्रास हाई कोर्ट ने मीडिया से कहा, टीआरपी से ज़्यादा जरूरी चीज़ें भी होती हैं” — the Madras High Court told the media that things more important than TRPs also exist.

The anchor’s response delivers the punchline: “टीआरपी से ज़्यादा जरूरी भी कुछ होता है!! …क्या होता होगा?” — “There is something more important than TRP too!! …What could it be?”

The joke lies in the anchor’s apparent inability to think of anything more important than ratings. The cartoon suggests that when attracting viewers becomes the dominant priority, other responsibilities of journalism — such as accuracy, public interest, context and responsible reporting — can seem strangely unfamiliar.

The visual of the confused anchor scratching her head reinforces the satire. The question is deliberately simple, but the joke points toward a much larger debate about the role and responsibilities of television news.

By turning a judicial observation into an absurd question, the cartoon highlights the tension between news as a public service and news as a ratings-driven business. It asks whether chasing audience numbers can sometimes overshadow the wider purpose of journalism.

Cartoon by : Kirtish Bhatt

CJP Calls for Election Boycott, Cartoon Finds Common Ground With the Opposition

2026-09-26T23:59:18.045+05:30

This political cartoon satirizes the reaction of a ruling-party leader to CJP founder Abhijeet Dipke’s call for opposition parties to boycott elections. Dipke had urged opposition parties to stop contesting elections if they believe the electoral process is being compromised.

The cartoon’s punchline comes from the unexpected enthusiasm of the ruling-party leader. When asked for his reaction, he says: “मैं पहली बार CJP से सहमत हूँ कि विपक्ष चुनाव ही न लड़े।” — “For the first time, I agree with CJP that the opposition should not contest elections.”

The irony becomes clear from the character’s identity. As a leader of the ruling party, he would potentially benefit enormously if opposition parties actually followed such advice and stayed away from elections. Instead of having to defeat political opponents at the ballot box, the ruling party could face little or no effective electoral competition in those constituencies.

That is what gives the cartoon its sharp political edge. The ruling-party leader appears to agree with Dipke’s argument about boycotting elections, but his enthusiasm comes from an entirely different motivation. For him, an opposition boycott would remove his electoral rivals rather than serve as a protest against the electoral system.

The phrase “पहली बार” — “for the first time” adds another layer to the joke. It suggests that the ruling-party leader normally disagrees with CJP, but is suddenly delighted to find himself on the same side of an argument when the proposed action could directly benefit his party.

The cartoon therefore highlights the political irony of an opposition boycott: while opposition parties might view non-participation as a form of protest, their absence could simultaneously make the ruling party’s electoral contest considerably easier.

Through a simple exchange between a journalist and a smiling politician, the cartoon turns a serious debate over elections, opposition participation and electoral credibility into a pointed piece of political satire.

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt

Election Commissioners’ Disagreement Leaves Election Commission Itself in the Minority

2026-09-25T12:14:39.539+05:30

This political cartoon satirizes reported differences among India’s Election Commissioners. The cartoon presents a journalist questioning a man outside the Election Commission, while another person reads a newspaper reporting a “case of disagreement among election commissioners.”

The man responds with a sharp observation: “कमाल है! आयोग ही अल्पमत में है!?” — “Amazing! The Commission itself is in the minority!?”

The joke plays on the word “minority.” In an ordinary political or institutional context, disagreements are expected to be resolved through discussion and formal decision-making. But when members of an electoral body itself disagree, the cartoon turns that internal division into a humorous paradox: if the commissioners are divided, can the institution itself be described as being “in the minority”?

The cartoon uses a simple visual setup to question how disagreements within an institution responsible for conducting elections can affect public perception of its functioning and authority. The newspaper provides the factual trigger, while the character’s reaction supplies the satire.

The humour comes from applying the language normally used to describe political disagreements to the institution that oversees elections. Rather than taking a position on which commissioner is right or wrong, the cartoon focuses on the unusual optics of disagreement within an organisation whose decisions carry significance for the electoral process.

With its short punchline and straightforward visual metaphor, the cartoon turns a procedural dispute into a broader commentary on institutional unity, credibility and public confidence.

Cartoon by Kirtish Bhatt

Kalkaji Gang-Rape Case Pushes Delhi’s Lady Shri Ram College Online | Cartoon

2026-09-24T11:14:49.307+05:30

This cartoon comments on the decision by Delhi’s Lady Shri Ram College for Women (LSR) to temporarily shift classes online following the alleged gang-rape of a 17-year-old girl at Aastha Kunj Park near Kalkaji Mandir. The incident was followed by a police encounter with one of the accused near the college’s back gate, intensifying concerns about the safety of students in the surrounding area.

The cartoon presents a starkly ironic message through a roadside sign: “बेटी (ऑनलाइन) पढ़ाओ, बेटी बचाओ” — a satirical twist on the familiar “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” slogan.

A young woman riding a scooter passes the sign, creating a simple but powerful visual contrast. The original slogan promotes the education and protection of girls, while the cartoon questions what “protection” means when concerns about safety force an educational institution to move classes away from the physical campus.

The satire lies in the word “online.” Education continues, but the cartoon suggests that girls are being protected by keeping them away from the physical environment rather than making that environment safer.

LSR temporarily shifted classes online after the incident, while the college also sought increased police patrolling around the campus and advised students and staff to avoid gathering near the back gate.

The cartoon therefore turns a government slogan into a pointed question about women’s safety, public spaces and access to education. Its message is not that online education is inherently problematic, but that the need to retreat indoors to feel safe exposes a deeper problem.

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt

Bihar Student Harassment Case Puts ‘Jungle Raj’ Rhetoric Under Cartoonist’s Lens

2026-09-23T11:31:24.928+05:30

This political cartoon comments on a reported sexual harassment case involving a student at a Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya in Jamui, Bihar. The cartoon uses the phrase “Jungle Raj”, a politically charged expression historically used in Bihar’s political discourse, to create its central irony.

A reporter holds a microphone toward a politician, who appears visibly uncomfortable and says, “जंगलराज वाली बात डिलीट कर दो, मैं भूल गया था कि हमारी ही सरकार है” — roughly, “Delete the ‘Jungle Raj’ remark; I had forgotten that it is our government.”

The cartoon’s satire focuses on how political rhetoric can change depending on who is in power. A phrase that may be used to criticise an opposing government can become uncomfortable when a similar incident occurs under one’s own administration.

Rather than debating the political label itself, the cartoon highlights the inconsistency that can arise when political parties or leaders discuss law-and-order and public safety differently depending on their position in government.

The reported student harassment case provides the immediate context, while the cartoon expands the issue into a broader commentary on political accountability. Its punchline suggests that responsibility for incidents affecting citizens should not depend on which party happens to be governing.

The visual joke is deliberately uncomfortable: the politician's concern is not only about the reported incident but about the political language used to describe it. That contrast gives the cartoon its satirical edge.

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt

Delhi SIR Notices Reach VIPs, Turning Voter Verification Into an Equalizer I Cartoon

2026-09-22T11:45:52.522+05:30

Delhi’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls has brought several prominent public figures into the voter-verification process. Notices have been issued to well-known names including External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, L.K. Advani and other senior political and public figures over discrepancies or mismatches in electoral records. The Election Commission has clarified that receiving a notice does not automatically mean deletion from the voter list; it is part of the verification process.

The cartoon turns this development into a sharp joke. Two VIPs are travelling comfortably in a car marked “VIP”, but their speech bubble asks: “क्या फायदा VIP होने का? जब समस्याएं आम आदमी जैसी आएं!” — “What is the use of being a VIP when problems arrive just like they do for the common man?”

The humour comes from reversing the usual meaning of VIP status. Privilege may offer comfort and influence in many situations, but when an official verification notice arrives, even prominent citizens can find themselves dealing with paperwork and procedural requirements.

The cartoon therefore uses the SIR controversy to make a broader observation about the idea of equality before administrative procedures. For once, the VIP label offers no escape from an ordinary bureaucratic problem.

Cartoon by - Kirtish Bhatt

Bihar Floods: When Schools Go Underwater, So Does Education | Cartoon

2026-09-20T00:02:43.618+05:30

When the School Goes Underwater, So Does the Mathematics

Floods have a peculiar way of exposing the difference between textbook mathematics and real life.

The cartoon captures that perfectly. A man looks at a school submerged in floodwater and asks a brutally simple question: if a school is nine feet high and three feet of it is underwater, how much is left above the water?

The answer, of course, is six feet.

But for the children who are supposed to study there, the problem is not really about subtraction. It is about whether there is a school left to walk into at all.

When floodwater enters classrooms, the blackboard becomes irrelevant, benches become floating furniture, and the morning assembly is replaced by the weather forecast. The biggest lesson of the day is no longer mathematics or science, but figuring out how to reach school without needing a boat.

The irony becomes sharper when we talk about education in areas repeatedly affected by floods. A school building may technically still exist, but if classrooms, playgrounds and access roads are underwater, education is effectively suspended. For children, every lost school day can mean another gap in learning.

And then comes the familiar Indian instinct: “At least the building is still standing.”

Perhaps. But a school is more than four walls and a roof. It needs teachers, students, books, electricity, safe access and an environment where children can actually sit down and learn.

The cartoon's little arithmetic problem therefore has a much bigger answer.

A Birthday Blessing: Cartoon on 'Ashirwad ka Diya Campaign'

2026-09-18T11:02:11.832+05:30

A Birthday Blessing… and a Helicopter Tour!

A birthday is usually about cakes, candles and blessings. But in the world of politics, even a birthday can come with an official campaign, a little symbolism—and, apparently, an aerial survey.

The cartoon takes a cheeky look at the appeal to light an “Ashirwad Ka Diya” on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, juxtaposing it with the situation in flood-affected areas. While the message talks about blessings and service, the cartoon asks a rather uncomfortable question: When people are struggling with floods, will the leaders actually walk through the affected areas?
Cartoon by: Kirtish Bhatt

UPI Charges on Transactions Above ₹2,000: सब माया है

2026-09-17T11:45:13.548+05:30

About Cartoon:

We all love UPI because it is fast, easy, and completely free. It changed the way we buy everything from groceries to clothes. But lately, there has been a lot of talk about adding a 0.4% charge on merchant payments over ₹2,000. This has started a big debate across the country.

My cartoon, "सब माया है" (It's all an illusion), takes a funny look at this situation. First, everyone is told to stop using cash and switch to digital payments. But once everyone actually changes their habits, the rules start to change, and new fees get introduced.

Why this is a big deal for regular people:

Small Businesses Suffer: While regular people can still send money to friends for free, shopkeepers have to pay the price. A 0.4% fee might sound small, but for a small business doing many transactions a day, it really cuts into their hard-earned daily profits.
Cash Might Come Back: The main point of UPI was to get rid of cash. But if big digital bills start coming with extra fees, people and businesses might just go back to using paper money to save cash.
The Extra Cost: If shopkeepers get tired of paying these fees, they will eventually pass the cost onto the customers by raising prices. In the end, the common man is the one who pays.

This cartoon is all about that awkward moment when a free service we all depend on starts turning into a regular business with hidden costs. It reminds us that in the digital world, "free" things don't stay free forever.

Cartoon by Kirtish Bhatt.

UPI Charges: Pay Tum Karo... | Cartoon by Kirtish Bhatt

2026-09-16T11:05:10.249+05:30

About the Cartoon

India’s UPI has made everyday payments incredibly simple—scan a QR code, enter the amount and you’re done. But the story gets a little less simple for merchants when transaction charges enter the picture. The debate over UPI charges, MDR and payments above ₹2,000 is really about who should pay for the convenience of digital payments. Customers want UPI to remain free, while businesses naturally don’t want payment costs eating into their margins. For a small shopkeeper, even a tiny charge can add up over hundreds of transactions. After making “cash nahi hai” almost irrelevant, UPI may have given shopkeepers a new headache: “Charge kitna lagega?”

Cartoon by Kirtish Bhatt

BRICS Summit and Slums: When Poverty Is Hidden Behind a Curtain | Cartoon

2026-09-14T00:19:00.000+05:30

When Poverty Is Hidden Behind a Curtain, the Problem Doesn't Disappear

During an international summit, the world gets a carefully prepared view of a city. Roads are cleaned, buildings are decorated, security is tightened and everything possible is done to make the surroundings look presentable.

But what happens when the people living in poverty are part of the scenery?

The cartoon takes a sharp look at the controversy over slums being screened from view during the BRICS Summit. Instead of showing the reality of urban poverty, the uncomfortable parts of the city can simply be covered up—quite literally.

In the cartoon, a child is struggling beneath a huge covering while the conversation above it continues as if everything is perfectly normal. The visual irony is hard to miss: the poor may be hidden from the visitors, but they haven't disappeared.

There is something almost magical about the idea. If a problem looks unpleasant, put a curtain in front of it. If the poverty isn't visible, perhaps the city can appear prosperous. And if the international guests don't see it, maybe nobody needs to talk about it.

Except, of course, the people underneath the curtain can still see it very clearly.

Cities hosting major international events naturally want to present their best face. Infrastructure, cleanliness and civic improvements are legitimate priorities. But there is a difference between improving living conditions and simply improving the view.

A screen can hide a slum for a few hours. It cannot hide the reasons why the slum exists.

And that is where the cartoon's humour turns into a more uncomfortable question: Are we trying to remove poverty—or merely remove it from the frame?

Perhaps the real achievement would not be making poverty invisible during an international summit. It would be making poverty unnecessary in the first place.

Until then, a curtain is just a curtain.

It doesn't solve the problem.

It only makes sure that the problem doesn't appear in the photograph.

Cartoon by : Kirtish Bhatt

If Women Have to Step Aside, What Happens to the Statue of Liberty? l Cartoon

2026-09-08T00:30:00.000+05:30

If Women Have to Step Aside, What Happens to the Statue of Liberty?

The Eiffel Tower is usually a symbol of Paris, romance and the universal appeal of France. But during a recent visit by a Hindu religious delegation, it found itself at the centre of a very different conversation.

The controversy arose after female employees at the Eiffel Tower were reportedly asked to leave their workstations or stay out of sight during a private visit by a BAPS Hindu delegation. Some women were reportedly replaced by male colleagues. The incident led to a staff protest and an investigation by Paris authorities. BAPS later apologised for any pain or inconvenience caused.

The cartoon takes that episode and gives it an international punchline.

The Statue of Liberty looks rather worried and asks, in effect: “Thank goodness they didn't visit me. Otherwise, where would I go?”

It is the kind of question only a cartoon can ask without needing a diplomatic briefing.

After all, Lady Liberty is one of the world's most recognisable symbols of freedom. She has been standing there for generations, holding her torch high and welcoming people from across the globe.

So imagine her concern when another landmark suddenly finds itself having to explain why its female employees were asked to step aside.

The irony is almost too perfect.

Religious traditions may have their own rules and practices, but when those practices affect workers in a public institution, the question inevitably becomes bigger than one private visit: Where does accommodation end and discrimination begin?

Perhaps the Statue of Liberty is simply relieved that nobody has asked her to move out of the frame.

After all, she has been standing there for more than a century.

And she probably intends to stay.

Cartoon by : Kirtish Bhatt