New Delhi: The arrest of cartoonist Aseem Trivedi on charges of sedition has sparked outrage across the country. Kanpur-based Trivedi, who is also involved with India Against Corruption (IAC), was arrested by Mumbai Police after a court issued a non-bailable warrant against him.

Outside the court Trivedi remained defiant, he said, “If telling the truth makes me traitor then I am one. Even Mahatma Gandi was called traitor and if I am booked under sedition for doing service to the nation then I will continue to do so.”

The court had issued the warrant against him last month. A member of Repubican Party of India, Amit Katarnayea, had filed a complaint against Trivedi that the latter had put up banners mocking the Indian constitution during the Anna Hazare rally held last year at the Bandra Kurla Complex. It was also alleged that he had put the obscene content on his website.

Friends and family and activists have come out strongly against Trivedi’s arrest.

“Why should the government arrest our son, a cartoonist when there are so many corrupt leaders roaming around freely? His cartoon was only helping draw attention to corruption,” said Aseem’s father Ashok Trivedi.

Others said that Trivedi is being targeted for his support for Anna Hazare and that there was nothing unpatriotic about his cartoons.

Press Council of India chairman Justice Markandey Katju has also come out in support of Aseem Trivedi saying arresting a person who has not committed a crime is a crime in itself. He said, “In my opinion the cartoonist did nothing illegal. In a democracy many things are said, some truthful and others false. These are occupational hazards, and politicians, like judges, must learn to put up with them.”

Trivedi was yesterday remanded to police custody till September 16 by a local court. Trivedi, who was arrested on Saturday on the basis of a complaint filed in December, was produced before a court in Bandra which remanded him to police custody till September 16.

Accused of showing disrespect to the National flag and he was arrested under 124A of the Indian Penal Code for sedition besides various sections of the Information Technology Act.

Trivedi was due to fly to Syria on Wednesday to receive a cartooning award.