Cartoonist's arrest an over-stretch: Congress

New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS) The Congress Monday termed arrest of political cartoonist Aseem Trivedi as a bit of an "over-stretch" but said "there are certain emblems and national symbols which all should respect".

"I have no hesitation in saying that perhaps the arrest is a bit of an over-stretch," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told reporters.

"I am an advocate of free speech personally, but there are certain emblems and national symbols which all of us should respect," he said.

Tewari said that while over-reactions were certainly not called for, people need to seriously reflect and ponder whether everything is fair in the name of free speech.

"Our predecessors sacrificed and contributed in bringing that idea of India to life which those symbols represent and portray," he said.

Barely a day after Trivedi was sent to seven days police custody after being arrested on sedition charges, investigators cut short his questioning and presented him in a Mumbai court Monday. He was sent to judicial custody till Sep 24.