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January 13, 2007

Remove Hussain's work, VHP tells gallery

(ibnlive.com
January 13, 2007)


Remove Hussain's work, VHP tells gallery

ibnlive.com
Posted Saturday , January 13, 2007 at 22:19

IN THE DOCK: VHP says Hussain’s work of art is “against Indian culture”.

New Delhi: If it’s not him, then it’s his paintings which are often attacked.

The organisers of an art exhibition in Jaipur have withdrawn renowned artist M F Hussain’s three paintings that were to be displayed in the exhibition, following threats from some Hindu organisations, including the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP).

The Hindu organisations said the artist’s work of art is “against Indian culture”.

"I have decided to withdraw these paintings not because the threats I had received, but because I don't want to disturb the show and make it unpleasant for the guests," the organiser of the show Sangeeta Juneja was quoted by news agency PTI as saying.

"I had three paintings of M F Hussain which were actually drawings he had made in 1978 but they will not be the part of the show," added Juneja, who is organising 50th show of her art gallery.

She also said the callers had threatened her that they would set the gallery no fire if she didn’t pay heed to their call.

"It is a shame that there are people who do not understand art are carrying such threats forgetting the contributions made by Hussain in the field of art,” PTI quoted Juneja.

Meanwhile the spokesman of Vishwa Hindu Paridhad Awdesh Pareek said "since these paintings are against Indian culture, we had registered our protest and the organisers accepted to withdraw these from the exhibitions".

M F Hussain has been out of the country, on a self-imposed exile because of the various cases filed against him for hurting Hindu sentiments by certain provocative paintings.