Failed Cartoon

Aseem Trivedi, puzzled everyone with his decision to participate in the reality show Big Boss season 6, might have hurt one or two in the process. "Aseem Trivedi", the name ring bells to most of the aware junta. Still for those who are clueless, Aseem Trivedi (born 17 February 1987) is a controversial Indian political cartoonist and activist, best known for his anti corruption campaign 'Cartoons Against Corruption'. He is a founder member of 'Save Your Voice', a movement against internet censorship in India. He has been awarded the Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award for 2012 by Cartoonists Rights Network International. That’s his Wikipedia info. He was just acquitted of the sedition charge for his controversial cartoons.

So why the young and the controversial artist went awry from where he started? Do we have an answer to that? I am not sure but he definitely did not do the wise thing, according to notion.

The IAC clique is now in jeopardize with Team Anna dissolving and Arvind Kejriwal deciding to go political, his party promising utopia. Anna Hazare on the other hand, distances himself from Kejriwal’s decision saying he would continue his fight against corruption, at the same time being completely apolitical.

If not for his association with the IAC, Aseem might still be publishing his cartoons in dailies and other journos. It was the media hype and coverage which brought Aseem Trivedi into the limelight. The cartoons in the controversy parody India’s national symbols, and were drawn to make a point on corruption in the public system but now it seems he weren’t serious at any point of time. One cartoon depicts the Indian Parliament building as a commode. At the right end of the cartoon, there is a roller with toilet paper. To the left, there is a pink flush with three flies hovering over it. ‘National Toilet,’ says the cartoon’s title, with this line beneath the sketch: ‘Isme istamal hone wale toilet paper ko ballot paper bhi kehte hain’.

Another offending cartoon redraws India’s national emblem of the four Sarnath lions of King Asoka that sit above the motto “Satyameva Jayate” (truth alone shall triumph) as bloodthirsty wolves underscored with the motto “Bhrashtamev Jayate” (long live corruption).And yet another features the “Mother India,” wearing a tri-colour sari, about to be raped by a character labelled “Corruption." The title of the cartoon is "Gang Rape of Mother India." Another cartoon shows politics and corruption in a sexual position to expose their immoral relationship. The line beneath the cartoon reads, "The immoral relationships are always harmful for a house hold."

While those cartoons landed him a sedition charge, his arrest drew criticism from various sects, IAC being completely supportive all the while. Kejriwal again staging a fast in protest against his arrest and demanding drop of charges and immediate release. Assem on the other hand declined to defend himself. What he said was his cartoons were misconstrued and miasma being developed by the political class. He denied protesting against the charges against him, even not agreeing for an advocate to defend him. Well, protest did come in handy with Mumbai police acquitting him of the sedition charges and finally releasing him.

But even those IAC members who stood by Trivedi all this while might feel hurt by his meretricious turn of events. Freedom of Expression might have a little longer to live but there is a clear question being asked by the public of the authenticity of the IAC members.

“Are there any glory hunters in there who may not be moved by the same cause as others in the IAC movement? Well, we just found one. Yes, you are right Mr. Aseem Trivedi got himself what he might have planned for.”