From Indo-Pak relations to Delhi's dengue crisis: Neelabh Banerjee's digital take on the world affairs

Political cartooning and satire is not too common in the Indian media and very few publications or channels invest in these witty comic strips. Neelabh Banerjee is one of the exceptions. Recently awarded with an honorary degree by the Jagran Lakecity University in Bhopal, Neelabh, who is among the first few mainstream cartoonists who have ventured into the digital medium, says his digital cartoons follow headlines closely and his reactions are within a very short time. “For example, if at 4 pm Kejriwal is trending on social media and TV, the cartoon will be on that and if at 8pm it is Bihar polls, a quick cartoon will follow,” he adds. Known for his political satire, Banerjee started his career as a sub-editor and a crime reporter at The Pioneer in Lucknow but later joined The Target magazine as a cartoonist. His reporting days helped him to execute his cartoons better. Here are some of his recent works: Banerjee takes a swing at the lawlessness in the state of Uttar Pradesh, and Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav’s denial on the issue. We all know what long noses stand for. In this toon, Neelabh explains the caste politics during the Delhi Assembly Elections earlier this year, where the Aam Aadmi party had a sweeping victory. Neelabh’s take on Charlie Hebdo attack, where 12 journalists were killed at the headquarters in Paris, was one of the strongest. The attack on the satirical magazine had shocked the world on 7 January. With Delhi in the grip of dengue epidemic (with death toll rising to 25 in the past few days), Banerjee was quick to point at the lack of resources in the capital where crores have been spent on Kejriwal’s promotional campaign. Finally, with NSA talks falling out and the relations between the two countries strained, this cartoon summarizes the entire situation in a single frame.