Kolkata:
Four people, believed to be workers of the Trinamool Congress, were arrested today in connection with the assault on Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra. Sheikh Mustafa, Nishakanta Gharai, Amit Sardar and Arup Mukherjee were arrested after Mr Mahapatra filed a First Information Report or FIR against people who beat him up.
They were, however, released on bail two hours later.
Professor Mahapatra was assaulted on the night of April 12 for forwarding anti-Mamata Banerjee cartoons via email to about 65 people.
The professor was arrested by the police late on Thursday night and produced in an Alipore court. He was released on bail last evening, but only after a written statement - which the professor said he was forced to write - that he was an active member of the CPM.
Speaking on the incident, professor Mahapatra told NDTV today that he is still "traumatised" by the incident and feels insecure.
The professor also said that he does not feel he has done anything wrong in sending the mail adding that he has already apologised for it.
Professor Mahapatra also said that he is shocked by the fact that while he was detained for several hours and taken to court, those who assaulted him were let off on bail within two hours of being arrested.
The chemistry professor at the prestigious Jadavpur University was arrested on charges of eve-teasing (Section 509 of the IPC), defamation (Section 500 of the IPC), humiliating a woman (Section 114 of the IPC) and causing offence using a computer (Section 66 A (b) of the IT Act).
His arrest led to outrage in Kolkata and across the Web.
At the Jadhavpur University professors called an emergency meeting yesterday and angry students plastered the walls with copies of the cartoon that had so offended the police. It shows Mamata Banerjee along with now Railway Minister Mukul Roy planning how to get rid of party MP and Mr Roy's predecessor in the Rail Ministry, Dinesh Trivedi.
Mr Mahapatra had shared the cartoon with a few of his friends. Within hours it was being shared across social networking websites with many also slamming Mamata Banerjee on Twitter for the professor's arrest.
Author Taslima Nasreen tweeted, "Shame! Shame! A professor is arrested over a cartoon in Kolkata. It's an extreme violation of freedom of expression!"
"The Internet police have started their work. Professor arrested for sending out Mamata cartoon," Anamika tweeted.
"I am one of many Indians (and Bengalis) who dreamt of a new, resurgent Bengal under you, Mamata. May I simply say We are not impressed?" tweeted Pritish Nandy.
The CPM, which was ousted by Mamata Banerjee last year after 34 years of ruling West Bengal, slammed the Chief Minister. "Well, this is a clear assault on the democratic right or freedom of expression. She (Mamata Banerjee) decides on what people should read in library, tomorrow she will tell us what to think. Therefore, this is very much like what happened in Emergency. People of Bengal are experiencing what she means as 'change'. Many people make cartoons or ghastly expressions against the Left, but that's a person's expression. But she cannot tolerate a single word of criticism," CPM leader Brinda Karat said yesterday.
Last week, the state government was embroiled in a controversy when a committee set up by the Trinamool government to restructure the syllabus for higher secondary students reportedly recommended a much reduced emphasis on Marx and Engels in history textbooks. Amidst criticism, Ms Banerjee later said her government did not consider Marx or Lenin as "untouchables".
In another controversial move, the state government had instructed 2,500 public libraries on what newspapers they can stock. Several leading papers including the Ananda Bazar Patrika and all English dailies were dropped. The Left's Sitaram Yechury had termed the decision "worse than censorship". Even those who visited libraries criticised the move.
Bowing to pressure, the Mamata Banerjee government added one English daily to the list of newspapers state-run libraries may keep.