My son was only depicting truth: Aseem's father

“My son has done no wrong. He was only expressing his opinion and certain people have misunderstood his work. He was only showing how corruption has plagued the system. Only the truth,” said Ashok Trivedi, cartoonist Aseem Trivedi’s father, speaking to HT from Kanpur.

“My son has done no wrong. He was only expressing his opinion and certain people have misunderstood his work. He was only showing how corruption has plagued the system. Only the truth,” said Ashok Trivedi, cartoonist Aseem Trivedi’s father, speaking to HT from Kanpur.

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Ashok said his father, Rewashankar Trivedi, was a part of the Indian freedom struggle, having participated in Satyagraha. “When Aseem was little, he would sit with his grandfather and listen to stories of the freedom struggle. He grew up learning about nationalistic values. There is no way he can do anything that amounts to treason,” he said.

The 24-year-old, his father said, was an ace cartoonist. He has been working for Dainik Aaj, a Kanpur daily, for the past five years and has also worked for several other publications. He was due to receive an international award in Washington for his work on September 15.

“When the Mumbai police came looking for him in Kanpur on August 30, he was in Delhi for his visa. I called him to Kanpur, but the police had left. They did not take calls and the local police said they did not have an arrest warrant. It was then that he decided to go to the BKC police,” Ashok said.

“I hear he is not being treated well and that they are not allowing his friends to meet him.”