West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee should have avoided raising controversy over her cartoons which had led to the arrest of a university professor, noted cartoonist Sudhir Tailang said on Saturday.
"The recent controversy over her cartoon should have been avoided by Mamata Banerjee. Cartoons should be taken easily and should not be made an issue of controversy," Tailang, who was attending an interactive session here, said.
Asked whether he is afraid of anything or anyone as his work might offend some, he smiled and said, "Yes, from Mamata Banerjee.
"I remember that Mamata Banerjee was once furious with my cartoon and was ready to punish me," he said.
Jadavpur chemistry professor Ambikesh Mahapatra was arrested recently when he posted a cartoon on the internet depicting her in poor light.
He said that besides Narasimha Rao, LK Advani and Lalu Prasad were his favourite subjects.
Sharing his experience, he said that he used to get phone call from a man regularly who used to appreciate his cartoons.
"Once his son came to meet me. I asked him that I would like to meet his father too who usually calls me but the man said that his father was blind and can not come.
{{/usCountry}}"Once his son came to meet me. I asked him that I would like to meet his father too who usually calls me but the man said that his father was blind and can not come.
{{/usCountry}}"I was surprised how he could appreciate my cartoons when he was blind and he said that he would describe the cartoons to his father," he said.
On Rao, he said, "I really respected the man, he was a genius personality but I loved to make his cartoons. He is still my favourite cartoon character till date."
Be it politicians or actors, "no one can escape. They all become subjects for cartoons."