NEW DELHI: In a case that could set a dangerous precedent, police in the Eastern Indian State of West Bengal have arrested a chemistry professor for a cartoon he has drawn, which apparently shows the chief minister of the state Mamata Banerjee and her party members in poor light. The cartoonist Ambikesh Mahapatra, who is a professor of chemistry of Jadavpur University, was picked up from him home, along with his neighbor for a cartoon of the firebrand woman politician that he circulated over the internet. Mahapatra's cartoon shows the chief minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee along with two others – Dinesh Trivedi a former railway minister at the central government and Mukul Roy, the current railways minister, both of whom belong to Mamata's party, the Trinamool Congress. Trouble began when supporters loyal to of the Trinamool Congress attacked Mahapatra at his residence. Police then arrived at the scene picked him up and took him in custody. The following morning he was reported as arrested. Mahapatra had drawn a cartoon and uploaded on his Facebook account, as well as sent emails of the same to nearly 65 people. The cartoon is a caricature of acclaimed filmmaker from Bengal of the early 20th century Satyajit Ray's film ‘SonarKella'. Mamata Banerjee became a butt of ridicule of the country's intelligentsia after she, as party supremo, forced Trivedi out of the rail ministry and put Roy in his place, because Trivedi had raised rail fares across board. Students from the University where the professor lectured, were the first to protest against the police move. They have defended his actions and his right to freedom of expression. Even state intelligentsia, who were earlier supporters of Mamata as she rode to power in 2011 by outing the 25 year plus regime of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), have come out in protest, against the dictatorial attitude of her government.
