A cartoonist of a leading city-based eveninger was arrested on the charges of "fanning communal sentiments" through a cartoon perceived to be based on a controversy surrounding Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's fast and his move to allegedly refuse wearing a skull cap, police said today.
39-year-old Harish Yadav alias Mussveer was arrested from his residence in Malharganj area last night, they said.
"Yadav has been booked under section 295-A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of IPC for the cartoon published in 'PrabhatKiran' on September 20," Malharganj police station in-charge Suresh Saijwar told PTI here.
The FIR was lodged by one Javed and the offence is non-bailable and he (Yadav) would be produced before a court later, he said.
Meanwhile, defending the freedom of expression, Prabhatkiran editor Prakash Purohit said,"the cartoon was drawn in the backdrop of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's fast and a skull-cap offered (to him) by a religious person from minority community which he refused to wear. There was nothing objectionable in the cartoon on which the newspaper employee was picked up forcefully by the police".
"The cartoon was very well-convincing and appreciated by readers. It appears that the saffron party wants to crush freedom of expression of journalists through its minority wing," Purohit alleged.