Though the Luke was released on bail after being arrested after the complaint of the lady but the victim, a US citizen, has requested the government to intervene into the issue. She alleged that the player had grabbed her and tried to kiss her in a five star hotel room in New Delhi.

Considering the nature of the complaint and its seriousness BCCI office bearers have washed their hand from the whole issue. BCCI Commissioner Rajiv Shukla has said that it was a matter of personal behaviour of a player and IPL has nothing to do with it.

But the government, who has been putting pressure on BCCI to come under the RTI has put more pressure afresh on the issue. Union Minister of State for Sports Ajay Maken has reteriated to bring IPL and BCCI under the purview of RTI. Several others demanded to scrap the IPL.

fachcha.com: But the mindset of a mature adult reader of a newspaper and a student, who reads text books, are different? While a cartoon in a newspaper is read and discussed among family members and society. It is different in case of text book is different. It is not discussed such a wider level except among teaching community and students?
RE: Students of class X, XI are mature enough to understand such things. They discuss their books and toons with their peer groups too.
fachcha.com: Newspapers were circulated among very small number of highly educated people in 1950s and their level of understanding was different that of the today’s subscribers, whose number is huge. Is it right to compare mindset of today’s students with readers of that era?
RE: Today’s students are intelligent enough to send MMS but why not the cartoons? And, people and leaders of that era were more educated and decent. Today’s level of education may have increased but decency is missing. You can see it in the political debate and other areas too.

fachcha.com: How do you see the progress of cartoons in India?
RE: Till 80s the cartoons were highly influenced by the British. So, the cartoons in that era were gentle at that time. But in late 80s it became aggressive. Space for cartoons had started shrinking by the end of the century. Shankar, Kutti, Abu Abraham, O P Vijayan and some others have been some of the great cartoonists of those era but scene have changed after 90ies.
fachcha.com: From cartoonist to editorial head, how do you see the change?
RE: Earlier it was a kind of editorial statement of the newspaper but time has changed now. This is an era of news packaging. Content is market driven. Newspapers have no editorial standing now. Though exceptions are there but editorial standing is missing in general. That is the reason cartoon is missing from the newspapers.
fachcha.com: Cartoon is missing or cartoonist…?
RE: Answer is complex. I did not want to go deep into it. But it is true. Newspapers have abolished the post of cartoonist. One premier organization started it and others followed it.
fachcha.com: Apart from political cartoons what is the scene in India for other types of toons?
RE: It is not very conducive. Some sections of the society are not very keen to accept controversial cartoons on many subjects. Suppose if somebody makes cartoon on Draupadi’s ‘Cheerharan’ some section of the society may get angry. Several controversies have come over the time on the toons on various subjects. People yet to accept such cartoons easily in India.
fachcha.com: So, do you think that whole issue is related to the freedom of expression?
>RE: Yes. of course. It is freedom of expression or what else.