New Delhi:
There is widespread outrage over the arrest of cartoonist Aseem Trivedi, who was arrested on Saturday on charges of sedition. Here are some voices on the raging controversy:
- Aseem Trivedi, Cartoonist: If telling the truth makes me a traitor then I am one. If I am booked under sedition for doing service to the nation then I will continue to do so. I have done nothing wrong. I will not apply for bail. What I have done is not wrong. I am proud of it.
- Bal Thackeray, Shiv Sena chief: Trivedi has definitely insulted these national symbols, but labeling him as a traitor and jailing him under sedition charge is not proper. Although he claims a patriotic fervour, Trivedi should have upheld the dignity of parliament and not insulted it in this manner.
- Raj Thackeray, MNS chief: Why was Trivedi arrested and cases filed against him? Those who committed treason are free and one who just drew a cartoon was jailed. Afzal Guru and Kasab have not been hanged yet. Is this not a mockery? What wrong has he done? He was merely commenting on corrupt politicians. What is wrong in expressing anger through cartoons? One should understand the motive behind the cartoons.
- Justice Katju, Chairman, Press Council of India: The policemen who make such illegal arrests cannot take the plea that they were obeying orders of political superiors. In the Nuremberg trials, the Nazi War Criminals took the plea that orders are orders, and that they were only obeying the orders of their political superior Hitler. But this plea was rejected by the International Tribunal which held that illegal orders should be disobeyed.
- Ambika Soni, Minister for Information and Broadcasting: We are not against democratic rights, we are all for free speech...people have made cartoons of Nehru, Indira earlier. But there is a thin line you draw between free speech and what can be termed as offensive especially against national symbols.
- Manish Tewari, Congress spokesperson: I have no hesitation in saying that the arrest is a bit too far over-stretched...over reaction is certainly not called for...we are not in favour of arrest. Perhaps we have not reached the golden median as yet between where the freedom of expression ends and reasonable restrictions begin. The jury is still out on that.
- Arvind Kejriwal, anti-graft activist and member, India Against Corruption: The way depictions were made in them (cartoons) was very wrong. But this does not make for a case of sedition. Police cannot frame charges of sedition, Aseem has been fighting against corruption for the past one and a half year, he has put his entire career at stake for the cause of (movement against)corruption how can he be anti-national in fact he is a patriot.
- Prashant Bhushan, lawyer and member, India Against Corruption: Sedition charge is constantly being misused by the government. It should only be used only if someone incites violence. By no stretch of imagination was Aseem promoting violence
- Sriprakash Jaiswal, union Coal Minister and MP from Kanpur: A lot of my workers from Kanpur and Unnao met me and made this demand that there is some Aseem Trivedi who has been arrested by the Maharashtra Police. Now I will try and find out on what charges he has been arrested, what exactly has happened, and only then I would be able to comment. We would ask from the (Maharashtra) police what is the issue, if it is worth lending a helping hand then all help would be extended else I'll inform my social workers about its status.
- AK Khan, a friend of Mr Trivedi: He is being repeatedly manhandled since his arrest.
- Mayank Gandhi, member, India Against Corruption: If anyone is talking against corruption, proclaiming it as anti-national and slamming charges of sedition, one needs to understand that this (drawing cartoons) is against the government and not against the country.
- Ashok Trivedi, Assem's father: Aseem's grandfather was a freedom fighter and had fought for the country's freedom. Do you expect Aseem to do something that insults the country? He only used his freedom of speech and in turn he has been charged of sedition.
- Nawab Malik, NCP spokesperson: People are being misled to believe that he has been booked for supporting anti-corruption agitation against politicians and the government. Right to freedom of speech and expression does not give you a right to abuse. Trivedi's cartoons are not against political parties, government but against the country.
(With inputs from Agencies)