Of course, political satire has a long historical past in India – as do makes an attempt to curb it.
Cartoons have been a fixture of Indian journalism since independence, with RK Laxman‘s Common Man changing into one of its most recognisable characters.
But cartoonists have also confronted censorship. During the Emergency in the Nineteen Seventies, when civil liberties were suspended and the press was tightly managed, Abu Abraham continued drawing, even as dozens of his cartoons were stamped “not passed by censors”.
In 2012, cartoonist Aseem Trivedi was arrested on sedition fees over cartoons allegedly mocking the Indian structure. The fees were later dropped.
Today, considerations about restrictions on political expression lengthen beyond cartoonists. India ranks 157th in Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index, while critics accuse the authorities of placing growing strain on impartial media. The authorities rejects the criticism, saying India’s media stays free and vibrant.
Comedians have also confronted controversy over political satire. Kunal Kamra, identified for his jokes about Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his celebration, has confronted threats, cancelled exhibits and legal motion.
For cartoonists, however, difficult those in energy is central to their work.
“We are among the default opposition,” says Sandeep Adhwaryu, a cartoonist at a main Indian newspaper.
“The nature of the craft is to oppose,” he says, including that cartoonists, like journalists, must query whoever holds energy.
Acharya says he has adopted that precept all through his profession. Before 2014, many of his cartoons focused the Congress-led authorities and were shared by BJP leaders.
“I never faced official restrictions on my cartoons during the previous governments, though there would be some trolling occasionally,” he says.
Now, with the BJP in energy, much of his satire is directed at Modi’s authorities.
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