Kejriwal threatens to sit on protest for jailed cartoonist

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Anti-corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday demanded that all the charges against the jailed cartoonist Aseem Trivedi be dropped or else he will sit on protest outside the Arthur Road prison here from Saturday.

"I spoke to Aseem. By Friday, all the charges should be dropped and he should be freed or else from Saturday onwards we will sit here (outside Arthur Jail) to protest his arrest. Either you release Aseem or arrest us," Kejriwal said outside the jail after meeting the Kanpur-based artist.

"Aseem had fought in support of Lokpal and against corruption but he has been described as a traitor. However those stealing coal are termed as patriots. This will not be tolerated by the countrymen," he said.

Kejriwal said cases against Aseem should be dropped as many leaders including Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni and Congress spokesperson Manish Tiwari themselves have said that a proper case has not been made out against the cartoonist.

The 25-year-old cartoonist was arrested on September 8 under IPC Section 124 (sedition), section 66 A of Information Technology Act and section 2 of Prevention of Insults to Nation Honour Act.

He was remanded to police custody till September 16 on Monday by a court here.

The freelancer has been accused of putting up banners mocking the Constitution during a rally of anti-corruption crusader Anna Hazare here late last year and posting the same on his website.

Trivedi was arrested on the basis of a complaint filed by a member of Republican Party of India, Amit Katarnayea.