RG Kar tragedy: Rebel Trinamool MP expresses anguish through RK Laxman’s cartoon

Kolkata: Veteran Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, has now taken refuge in a cartoon by legendary Indian artist and humourist RK Laxman to express his anguish over the recent summons to him by Kolkata Police over his social media post on the rape and murder of a woman junior doctor at RG Kar Medical College & Hospital.

He has posted that cartoon on his official X handle, featuring a youth (arguably anyone raising their voice against any evil or injustice) being dragged by his shirt collar by a policeman through the street, with passersby watching the scene.

“Of course, you weren’t spreading rumours – the charge is you were spreading facts!” read the lines written on the cartoon created December 26, 1962.

Roy expressed his amusement by posting a “grinning” emoji along with the post.

Although Roy did not make any explanatory statement on his social media wall, it is easily understood that his post was concerning the recent summons issued to him by Kolkata Police over one of the posts on his social media wall, which he had to ultimately delete.

Earlier this month, Roy had posted on his social media handle a demand for the custodial interrogation of Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal, in connection with the probe in the rape and murder case.

After the Kolkata Police issued two notices to question Roy for allegedly spreading misinformation through a particular social media post, the veteran politician approached the Calcutta High Court seeking protection against coercive police action, including arrest.

Later August 20, during the hearing in the matter at Calcutta High Court, Roy’s counsel informed the court that his client had agreed to take down the content that he posted on his X handle.

The West Bengal government counsel, thereafter, informed the court that since Roy had agreed to delete the post, the police would not take any action against him and would close the matter. On the same evening, the post was deleted from his X wall.

It remains to be seen what the police’s reaction to the latest post by the rebel MP will be.