Aseem Trivedi

Last updated

Aseem Trivedi
Aseem Trivedi.jpg
Trivedi at Raj Ghat, Delhi protesting on internet censorship
Born (1987-02-17) 17 February 1987 (age 37)
NationalityIndian
Known for Political cartoon, Activism
Notable work Social Work
Movement India Against Corruption, Save Your Voice
AwardsCourage in Editorial Cartooning (2012)
Website aseemtrivedi.in

Aseem Trivedi (born 17 February 1987) is an Indian political cartoonist and activist, 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 is the recipient of "Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award 2012" of US based Cartoonists Rights Network International.

Contents

Early life

Aseem Trivedi was born on 17 February 1987 in Shuklaganj at Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh State in India.[ citation needed ] He studied in Saraswati Vidya Mandir until 12th standard. He started his career as a freelance cartoonist and worked for several Hindi language newspapers and magazines. [1]

Cartoons against corruption

In 2011, a nationwide anti corruption movement India Against Corruption gathered pace in India.[ citation needed ] Aseem Trivedi started a cartoon based campaign, Cartoons Against Corruption to support the movement. He launched a website www.cartoonsagainstcorruption.com and displayed his cartoons in the MMRDA ground, Mumbai during the hunger strike of Anna Hazare. [2] [3]

Ban on the website

The website was banned by Mumbai Crime Branch for displaying "defamatory and derogatory cartoons" in Dec, 2011. Following his website's ban, he uploaded his cartoons to a new blog. [4]

Fight against internet censorship

After the ban on his website, Aseem Trivedi along with his friend Alok Dixit started Save Your Voice, a campaign for internet freedom. Through the creative protests in several cities, Save Your Voice, initiated a debate over internet freedom in India. [4] [5] [6] The campaign was targeted at the draconian rules framed under the Information Technology Act, 2000. [7]

Hunger Strike

Aseem Trivedi went on an indefinite hunger strike for internet freedom at Jantar Mantar in May 2012, New Delhi. The motive of the hunger strike was to request political parties to support the annulment motion against the Intermediary Guideline Rules of the Information Technology Act 2011 of India. [8]

Charges and allegations

One of Trivedi's cartoons showed the four lions that form Ashoka Chakra, India's national symbol, replaced by four wolves and the national slogan "truth shall prevail" replaced by "corruption shall prevail."[ citation needed ] Another cartoon showed Parliament as the "national toilet". He sketched a woman as "Mother India" being assaulted by a politician and a bureaucrat. A caption above this cartoon reads "gang rape of Mother India". [9]

He faced serious allegations of insulting national emblem, Parliament, flag and constitution through his cartoons. He was charged with sedition IPC 124A, Section 66A of IT act and National Emblem Act 1971 . [4] [10] [11] [12] The case against him was filed in a Mumbai court by a lawyer, who said the pictures mocked national symbols. Trivedi was also charged with posting seditious and obscene content on his website. [13] [11] [12]

Jail

He was arrested in Mumbai on 9 September 2012 on charges of sedition, related to the content of his work. [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] He was granted bail with a personal bond of Rs. 5000 on the basis of an independent petition by a lawyer, who also asked the court to remove the accusations of sedition.

Sedition charges were dropped by the government in October 2012. [22] Section 66A of IT Act was scrapped by Supreme Court of India in March 2015. [23]

Awards

He has been announced as the 2012 recipient of the "Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award" of Virginia based Cartoonists Rights Network International. He is sharing the award with Syrian cartoonist Ali Ferzat. [24] [25] Indian Affairs [26] founded by Satya Brahma Archived 6 February 2016 at the Wayback Machine in its 6th Annual India Leadership Conclave 2015 awarded Trivedi as "Cartoonist of the year 2015". [27]

He was also nominated for the Freedom of Expression Awards 2013 in Arts category by UK based group Index on Censorship. [28]

Reality television

As contestant
YearShowStanding
2012
17th place
Evicted Day 27 [29]

See also

Related Research Articles

Sedition is overt conduct, such as speech or organization, that tends toward rebellion against the established order. Sedition often includes subversion of a constitution and incitement of discontent toward, or insurrection against, established authority. Sedition may include any commotion, though not aimed at direct and open violence against the laws. Seditious words in writing are seditious libel. A seditionist is one who engages in or promotes the interest of sedition.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">R. K. Laxman</span> Indian Cartoonist

Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Laxman was an Indian cartoonist, illustrator, and humorist. He is best known for his creation The Common Man and for his daily cartoon strip, You Said It in The Times of India, which started in 1951.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kailash Nath Katju</span> 3rd Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh

Kailash Nath Katju was a prominent politician of India. He was the Governor of Odisha and West Bengal, the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, the Union Home Minister and the Union Defence Minister. He was also one of India's most prominent lawyers. He was part of some of the most notable cases of his times, including the Indian National Army trials. Katju joined the Indian independence movement early on and spent several years incarcerated with fellow independence activists for his activities.

Trivedi is a family name from northern and western India reflecting the mastery over three of the four vedas. In Sanskrit Trivedi means 'one that knows the three Vedas’, from tri = 'three' + veda ‘(sacred) knowledge' leading to vedi = 'to see'. Similar family names are Chaturvedi and Dwivedi. They are also known as Tripathi and Tiwari in some parts of north India.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internet censorship in India</span> Overview of Internet censorship in India

Internet censorship in India is done by both central and state governments. DNS filtering and educating service users in suggested usages is an active strategy and government policy to regulate and block access to Internet content on a large scale. Measures for removing content at the request of content creators through court orders have also become more common in recent years. Initiating a mass surveillance government project like Golden Shield Project is an alternative that has been discussed over the years by government bodies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Information Technology Act, 2000</span> Act of the Parliament of India

The Information Technology Act, 2000 is an Act of the Indian Parliament notified on 17 October 2000. It is the primary law in India dealing with cybercrime and electronic commerce.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">K. Shankar Pillai</span> Indian cartoonist

Kesava Shankar Pillai, better known as Shankar, was an Indian cartoonist. He is considered the father of political cartooning in India. He founded Shankar's Weekly, India's Punch in 1948. Shankar's Weekly also produced cartoonists like Abu Abraham, Ranga and Kutty, he closed down the magazine during the Emergency of 25 June 1975. From then on he turned to making children laugh and enjoy life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Markandey Katju</span> Indian judge (born 1946)

Markandey Katju is an Indian jurist and former judge of Supreme Court of India who served as chairman for the Press Council of India from 2011 to 2014. He is the son of politician Shiva Nath Katju and grandson of Kailash Nath Katju. He is the founder and patron of the Indian Reunification Association (IRA), an organisation that advocates for the peaceful reunification of what is now Pakistan and Bangladesh with India under a secular government.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Binayak Sen</span>

Binayak Sen is a paediatrician, and public health specialist. He is the national Vice-President of the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL). He is the recipient of several awards including the Jonathan Mann Award, the Gwangju Prize for Human Rights, and the Gandhi International Peace Award. He has been convicted of sedition by a local Court in India which was later upheld by the High Court of Chhattisgarh. He was subsequently granted bail by the Supreme Court of India on appeal. He is a member of the policy group for Police Reforms of Aam Aadmi Party.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arifur Rahman</span>

Arifur Rahman is a Bangladeshi-Norwegian political cartoonist, illustrator and animator. He is a self-taught cartoonist who is renowned for his contribution to cartoons both on the internet and in print media. In Bangladesh, he is best known as "Cartoonist Arif" for anti-corruption cartoons. He's won multiple awards for Anti-Corruption cartoons from Transparency International Bangladesh and the Daily Star. He was the first and former guest cartoonist of International Cities of Refuge Network (ICORN). He is a publisher of cartoon magazine Toons Mag and the organizer of international cartoon contests and exhibitions.

Information technology law(IT law) or information, communication and technology law (ICT law) (also called cyberlaw) concerns the juridical regulation of information technology, its possibilities and the consequences of its use, including computing, software coding, artificial intelligence, the internet and virtual worlds. The ICT field of law comprises elements of various branches of law, originating under various acts or statutes of parliaments, the common and continental law and international law. Some important areas it covers are information and data, communication, and information technology, both software and hardware and technical communications technology, including coding and protocols.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Savita Bhabhi</span> Fictional pornographic cartoon character

Savita Bhabhi is an Indian fictional adult cartoon character, created by Kirtu Comics. The protagonist was promoted mainly through comics. It has since been converted into a subscription-based strip.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ali Farzat</span>

Ali Farzat or Ali Ferzat is a Syrian political cartoonist. He has published more than 15,000 caricatures in Syrian, Arab and international newspapers. He serves as the head of the Arab Cartoonists Association. In 2011, he received Sakharov Prize for peace. Farzat was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine in 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian reunification</span> Concept of the potential reunification of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh

Indian reunification refers to the potential reunification of India with Pakistan and Bangladesh, which were partitioned from British India in 1947.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alok Dixit</span> Indian journalist and human rights activist

Alok Dixit is a journalist turned social activist, fighting for freedom of Internet in India. He is the founder member of Save Your Voice, a movement against Internet censorship in India and Stop Acid Attacks, a campaign against acid violence.

Save Your Voice is a movement against internet censorship in India. It was founded by cartoonist Aseem Trivedi, journalist Alok Dixit, socialist Arpit Gupta and Chirag Joshi in January 2012. The movement was initially named "Raise Your Voice", before it was renamed. The movement started from Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh, under the frontier-ship of the movement's four founders; with a "Langda March" at Ujjain. The movement opposes the Information Technology Act of India and demands democratic rules for the governance of Internet. The campaign is targeted at the rules framed under the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Cartoons Against Corruption is a cartoon-based campaign mounted by the political cartoonist Aseem Trivedi to support the anti-corruption movement in India, which is best known for its sharp, hard-hitting anti-corruption cartoons. Crime Branch, Mumbai banned the website of Cartoons Against Corruption during the hunger strike of Anna Hazare in December 2011.

Shiva Nath Katju was an Indian lawyer, judge and an Indian National Congress politician. He was a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly (1952–1957) and the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council (1958–1962). He was also a judge at the Allahabad High Court, and a President of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Internet Freedom Foundation</span>

Internet Freedom Foundation (IFF) is an Indian digital rights organisation that advances liberty, equality, fraternity and social justice in the digital age. IFF has three verticals of work that include strategic litigation, policy engagement and civic literacy.

Sharjeel Imam is an Indian student activist from Kako village of Jehanabad, Bihar. He had completed his B.Tech. and M.Tech. from IIT-Bombay and joined Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2013 for completing his master's degree in Modern History and in 2015 he started Ph.D. from the same university. He is known for his allegedly inflammatory speeches made during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests which led to his arrest under sedition.

References

  1. "Website blocked, cartoonist moves content to another host". The Times of India . 7 January 2012. Archived from the original on 10 January 2012.
  2. "Democracy arrested in India: Aseem Trivedi continues his struggle against censorship". 12 January 2012.
  3. "From Cyber India to Censor India: Groups challenge didactic govt". 29 April 2012. Archived from the original on 19 July 2013. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  4. 1 2 3 "Why is this cartoonist caged?". 23 April 2012. Archived from the original on 5 June 2014. Retrieved 15 June 2012.
  5. "Activists to 'Celebrate' Kapil Sibal on April Fools' Day". The Wall Street Journal. 27 March 2012.
  6. "Save Your Voice – A movement against Web censorship". 13 March 2012.
  7. Subramanian, Sujatha (8 May 2012). "For the sake of free speech". The Hindu. Chennai, India.
  8. "TWO CYBER-ACTIVISTS END FAST BUT CAMPAIGN AGAINST IT RULES GATHERS PACE". 12 May 2012. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012.
  9. "Debate, outrage over cartoonist's 'offensive' sketches". 10 September 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  10. "Can an Indian cartoonist be barred from mocking the state?". 30 January 2012.
  11. 1 2 "Cartoonist in India Campaigns Against Corruption and Censorship". 7 March 2012.
  12. 1 2 "In India the Enemies of Free Speech Find a "Symbolic" Means to Attack Cartoonist Aseem Trivedi". 9 February 2012. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012.
  13. "The World Wild Web". 4 February 2012.
  14. "Cartoonist sent to judicial custody on sedition charges". 9 September 2012.
  15. Arrest of cartoonist Aseem Trivedi a crime: Katju – Indian Express
  16. Latest news, photos, videos, podcasts, breaking news, from North India, South India, North East, West India, East India, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata – Hindu...
  17. Free cartoonist Aseem, arrest policemen: Justice Markandey Katju – India News – IBNLive
  18. Justice Katju defends cartoonist Aseem Trivedi – Yahoo! News India
  19. Free cartoonist Aseem Trivedi: Katju
  20. Justice Markandey Katju defends arrested cartoonist Aseem Trivedi, says he has done nothing illegal : India, News – India Today
  21. Justice Markandey Katju defends cartoonist Aseem Trivedi | Deccan Chronicle Archived 11 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine
  22. "Maharashtra government drops sedition charge against cartoonist Aseem Trivedi". India Today. 12 October 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  23. "Sec 66A scrapped: Police apply sections without second thought, says Aseem Trivedi". Hindustan Times. 24 March 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2018.
  24. "CRNI Announces Winners of the 2012 Courage in Editorial Cartooning Award – Syrian Ali Ferzat and Indian Aseem Trivedi". 9 May 2012. Archived from the original on 22 September 2012.
  25. "PROFILES IN CARTOONING COURAGE". The Washington Post. 12 May 2012.[ dead link ]
  26. says, Madhav. "Was Nobel Peace Prize For 2009 Conferred To President Barack Obama A Historical Blunder? | APN News". Archived from the original on 6 February 2016. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  27. "Painting is an expression of artist's imagination: Trivedi". Business Standard India. Press Trust of India. 20 September 2015. Retrieved 6 February 2016.
  28. "Two Indians nominated for Index Awards for Freedom of Expression". The Times of India . 8 March 2013. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013.
  29. "Aseem Trivedi removed from Bigg Boss, says RPI". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 2 November 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2012.