Calcutta outraged

by Guest Fri Apr 13, 2012 1:26 pm

Kolkata: A Kolkata professor, Ambikesh
Mahapatra, learnt the hard way that posting anti-Mamata-Banerjee
cartoons on social networking sites can mean big trouble in West Bengal.
The professor was assaulted last night, allegedly by Trinamool Congress
workers, and was arrested by the police soon after. He was released on
bail, but there is outrage in Kolkata and across the Web.

The
chemistry professor at the prestigious Jadavpur University was arrested
on charges of eve-teasing (Section 509 of the IPC), defamation (Section
500 of the IPC), humiliating a woman (Section 114 of the IPC) and
causing offence using a computer (Section 66 A (b) of the IT Act).

Last
night, when Professor Mahapatra was returning to his residence in
Garia, a group of people, allegedly Trinamool activists attacked him and
beat him up badly. Then the police arrived at his door and arrested
him. Professor Mahapatra was later produced in an Alipore court.

At the Jadhavpur University professors called an emergency
meeting and angry students plastered the walls with copies of the
cartoon that had so offended the police. It shows Mamata Banerjee along
with now Railway Minister Mukul Ray planning how to get rid of party MP
and Mr Ray's predecessor in the Rail Ministry, Dinesh Trivedi.

Mr
Mahapatra had shared the cartoon with a few of his friends. Within
hours it was being shared across social networking websites with many
also slamming Mamata Banerjee on Twitter for the professor's arrest.

Author
Taslima Nasreen tweeted, "Shame! Shame! A professor is arrested over a
cartoon in Kolkata. It's an extreme violation of freedom of expression!"

"The internet police have started their work. Professor arrested for sending out Mamata cartoon," Anamika tweeted.

The
CPM, which was ousted by Mamata Banerjee last year after 34 years of
ruling West Bengal, has slammed the CM. "Well, this is a clear assault
on the democratic right or freedom of expression. She (Mamata Banerjee)
decides on what people should read in library, tomorrow she will tell us
what to think. Therefore, this is very much like what happened in
Emergency. People of Bengal are experiencing what she means as 'change'.
Many people make cartoons or ghastly expressions against the Left, but
that's a person's expression. But she cannot tolerate a single word of
criticism," said CPM leader Brinda Karat.

Last week, the state
government was embroiled in a controversy when a committee set up by the
Trinamool government to restructure the syllabus for higher secondary
students reportedly recommended a much reduced emphasis on Marx and
Engels in history textbooks. Amidst criticism, Ms Banerjee later said
her government did not consider Marx or Lenin as "untouchables".

In
another controversial move, the state government had instructed 2,500
public libraries on what newspapers they can stock. Several leading
papers including the Ananda Bazar Patrika and all English dailies were
dropped. The Left's Sitaram Yechury had termed the decision "worse than
censorship". Even those who visited libraries criticised the move.

Bowing
to pressure, the Mamata Banerjee government added one English daily to
the list of newspapers state-run libraries may keep.

http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/outrage-over-professors-arrest-for-posting-anti-mamata-cartoons-197127?pfrom=home-otherstories