Politicians should introspect instead of criticising cartoons: Kashmiri MP

NEW DELHI: Even as noisy MPs continued to demand a ban on cartoons of politicians in NCERT textbooks in Lok Sabha, a lone voice struck a different chord. National Conference MP from Baramulla Sharifullah Shariq said politicians should introspect instead of criticising the cartoons.

“Except in rare cases where a cartoon denigrates leader like Nehru or Ambedkar, why banish political cartoons altogether ?” Shariq said.

The NC leader said Kashmiri leaders, including Sheikh Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah, have always taken cartoons about them sportingly.

Talking about a cartoon published soon after the Indira Gandhi- Sheikh Abdullah accord was signed, the MP said, “It showed Sheikh saab bowing to Madam Gandhi who placed a crown on his head. Sheikh saab had a hearty laugh. He later said, ‘we have given people freedom of expression, so we have to put up with this’ ,” said Shariq.

Shariq also questioned the timing of protests over the Ambedkar cartoon,which has been in NCERT books since 2006. “Why were there no protests all these years?” he asked.

“We have given artists the freedom to make cartoons on us. Instead of criticising them, we should look within,” Shariq said. His voice was, however, drowned out by MPs clamouring for a ban.

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