Artists from across India should gather in Baroda

(ndtv.com
May 12, 2007)

Artists have suffered enough: Panikkar

“ Art fraternity all over India should gather in Baroda on Monday for support demonstration. Artists have suffered enough. ”
- Shivaji Panikkar, suspended Dean of Faculty of Fine Arts


Supriya Sharma
Saturday, May 12, 2007 (Vadodara)
Shivaji Panikkar, suspended Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, has called upon the artist community all over India to make it to Vadodara on Monday, May 14.

Speaking to NDTV, Pannikar said that artists have suffered enough at the hands of Hindutva politics.

Artists and students there plan to protest against the attack by VHP activists on a student of the Fine Arts Faculty last week for what was termed an obscene work of art.

The student Chandra Mohan has been in jail over the weekend and Panikkar was suspended on Friday night. A local court has deferred his bail order to Monday.

NDTV: Your institution has been targetted, student arrested and now you have been suspended. How do you see this turn of events?

Panikkar: University authorities have allied with the VHP, BJP. It's not about him but about the entire system, overpowered by Hindutva politics.

Panikkar: Art fraternity all over India should gather in Baroda on Monday for support demonstration. Artists have suffered enough.

He also spoke about art student Chandra Mohan who comes from Andhra and is the son of a carpenter. Mohan told his friends that all he wants is that his parents don't come to know about his arrest.

Institute's stand

Dean Panikkar of the Faculty of Fine Arts was suspended at a late night meeting on Friday, chaired by the Vice Chancellor.

The Dean had been very vocal in his support for the student who has been arrested after his paintings were attacked by VHP activists.

Meanwhile on campus, his fellow students and teachers put up an exhibition in his support, but it was pulled down by no less than the University's pro vice chancellor, who went on to seal the institute's office.

Ironically, the exhibition was not for public viewing.