Cartoonist AseemTrivedi, who is in jail in Mumbai, met this morning with activist ArvindKejriwal and other members of the India Against Corruption movement. MrKejriwal warned that if charges of sedition are not dropped against Mr Trivedi,activists will begin a demonstration outside the Arthur Road jail startingSaturday."MPs who disrespect the national emblem... official papers have nationalemblems printed on them ... they commit corruption and should be booked forsedition," said Mr Kejriwal, who is also the right-hand aide of Gandhianactivist Anna Hazare.  The arrest of the 25-year-old cartoonist has provoked strong criticism. MrTrivedi says he is entitled to lampoon corruption and a corrupt government andhas refused to apply for bail; he says he will not leave jail till the chargesof sedition against him are dropped and the law itself is ammended. This wasemphasised in a letter, reportedly written by Mr Trivedi, read out by IndiaAgainst Corruption (IAC) members yesterday outside the Arthur Road jail.

A local court has sent him to Arthur Road Jail for 14 days.Mr Trivedi's supporters allege that he is being targeted by the government forsupporting the anti-corruption movement championed by Anna and Mr Kejriwal.

Mr Trivedi has gone from little known to trending in amatter of days.  His arrest is based  on the complaint of a Mumbailawyer who took umbrage at Mr Trivedi's anti-corruption cartoons, especiallyone that re-interpreted the Ashok Chakra national emblem - wolves replaced thethree lions to show ravenous corruption. He has said, "If telling thetruth makes me a traitor then I am one."  The Mumbai police tried to reverse out of the controversy on Monday, telling alocal court that they were done with questioning him and were surrenderingcustody. Mr Trivedi  has been charged with allegedly uploading "uglyand obscene" matter on his web portal and putting up objectionable bannersinsulting the Indian Constitution during an Anna Hazare protest in Mumbai lastyear.The government, on the back foot, has said people cannot be allowed to"cross the line." Minister for Information and Broadcasting AmbikaSoni said, "We are not against democratic rights, we are all for freespeech... people have made cartoons of Nehru, Indira  earlier. But thereis a thin line you draw between free speech and what can be termed as offensiveespecially against national symbols."