Cartoon of Rahul Hiding From Modi Removed by Karnataka Municipality

Bengaluru: The ruling Congress party in Karnataka has taken censorship a bit too far. A cartoon hoarding by noted cartoonist Satish Acharya has been removed by the Municipality of Kundapura in Udupi district of Karnataka.

Satish Acharya, who works from his home in Kundapura, has a fixed hoarding named Cartoon Corner and displays some of his best works there.

Recently, he had displayed a cartoon in which Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi was hiding behind Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to escape from Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is seen menacingly rushing towards him.

Speaking to News18.com Satish Acharya said, "I draw cartoons on all political parties. I use cartoon corner hoarding to display some of them. In the past nobody troubled me. After I had put this cartoon up, a local Congress leader called me up to suggest that I should remove it as it is offensive."

"The very next day, Kundapura municipality removed it on the pretext of clearing the city of billboards. The Congress should be worried about the challenges before the party. It should not be afraid of a harmless cartoon," he added.

Reacting to the development, Karnataka Congress president Dr G Parameshwara said he was not aware of any such developments and the Congress had nothing to do with it.

Kundapura municipality defended the action saying that they have removed all hoardings and billboards to beautify the town.

Acharya said he had sent a message to AICC media incharge Ajay Maken but he is yet to get a reply.