Veteran Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Sukhendu Sekhar Roy has turned to a cartoon by the renowned Indian artist and humorist RK Laxman to express his discontent with the Kolkata Police’s recent actions. The cartoon, which Roy shared on his official X account, depicts a youth being dragged by a policeman, with onlookers observing the scene. The caption, “Of course, you weren’t spreading rumours – the charge is you were spreading facts!” from the 1962 cartoon, reflects Roy’s frustration over his recent summons by the Kolkata Police.
Roy’s post comes in response to legal troubles related to his social media activity. The controversy began when Roy criticized the Kolkata Police over their handling of a rape and murder case involving a junior doctor from RG Kar Medical College & Hospital. He had previously called for the custodial interrogation of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal, which led to the police issuing notices for him to explain his social media posts, deemed by them as spreading misinformation.
In reaction to these notices, Roy sought protection from the Calcutta High Court, aiming to prevent any coercive action by the police, including potential arrest. During the court proceedings on August 20, Roy’s legal team informed the court that he had agreed to delete the contentious social media posts. Following this agreement, the West Bengal government’s counsel confirmed that the police would take no further action, thus closing the matter. Roy complied by removing the post from his X account later that day.
Despite the resolution of the immediate legal issue, Roy’s latest social media post, featuring the RK Laxman cartoon, suggests ongoing dissatisfaction with the police’s actions. The cartoon’s choice highlights Roy’s use of satire to critique what he perceives as unjust treatment by the authorities.
The situation reflects broader tensions between political figures and law enforcement in West Bengal, particularly in sensitive cases involving public and political scrutiny. As the legal and political ramifications of this case continue to unfold, it remains to be seen how the Kolkata Police will respond to Roy’s latest commentary and whether it will influence the broader discourse on police accountability and freedom of expression.
