<p>   u00a0</p>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   Venting their anger against Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for arresting Jadavpur University professor Ambikesh Mahapatra for allegedly circulating a defamatory cartoon, majority of intellectuals and a cross-section of commoners said they are &quot;scared&quot; by the trend the state government has set.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   Mahapatra, a professor of physical chemistry, in his 50s, later claimed he had sent the mail for &quot;pure fun&quot; to his friends.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   Sirshendu Mukhopadhyay, a noted writer, termed the incident as &quot;unfortunate&quot;.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   &quot;We feel pain when we see such incidents. We feel scared and terrified,&quot; said Mukhopadhyay.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   This is not the first time that Banerjee has drawn the ire of intellectuals and citizens of the state. Last month, the state government was severely criticised after it passed an order to state-funded libraries to stock only specific eight vernacular newspapers for promoting &quot;free thinking&quot; among readers.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   &quot;Whether it&#39;s a ban on newspapers or arrest of a professor of Jadavpur University for circulating cartoons, I personally feel both the decisions were politically incorrect,&quot; said Bhibas Chakrabarty, theatre personality.u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   Noted writer Sunil Gangopadhya, too, criticised the arrest.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   &quot;I don&#39;t believe in commenting on each and every issue. But when such kind of incidents happen how can I keep my mouth shut? This incident is unacceptable,&quot; he said.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   The common people, however, not only criticised the incident but also felt that the chain of developments was a prelude to a &quot;fascist regime&quot;.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   &quot;What is she trying to do? Is she trying to throttle each and every voice of protest? In democracy such things are unacceptable,&quot; said Ramesh Ray, a software engineer.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   &quot;This is nothing but a move towards censorship and partial fascism. If she tries to move on the same path the people of the state will not forgive her,&quot; said Rashmita Dutta, a student.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   However, some intellectuals supported the professor&#39;s arrest.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   &quot;The material which was circulated was not a cartoon. It was a photograph of three individuals which was used to spread malicious and slanderous campaign. I support the arrest,&quot; said noted painter Shuvaprasana.</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   u00a0</div>  <div id="cke_pastebin">   &quot;I won&#39;t comment on the technicalities of the issue, but I personally feel that Mamata should be given more time so that she can perform,&quot; said Jogen Chowdhury, another famed painter.</div>  

First a ban on certain newspapers and now the arrest of a professor for allegedly circulating a cartoon targeting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, people in West Bengal expressed outrage over the state government's latest move, with some even wondering if it was "a move towards censorship and partial fascism".

Anger in Bengal over professor's arrest

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Anger in Bengal over professor's arrest

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