DNA News: Hussain’s work on paint packaging provokes HJS

Mumbai: After ‘urging’ two of the major corporate houses to withdraw their commercials which hurt the sentiments of Hindus, the Hindu Janjagruti Samiti (HJS) has now upped its ante against a paint company. The company, Shalimar Paints has brought out a new series of paints called ‘Hussain Emulsion Paints’ carrying the paintings of MF Hussain. Stating that this has hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindus, the HJS said that the paintings of the person who had the audacity to portray our motherland in a degrading manner, should not be promoted.

HJS co-ordinator Shivaji Vatkar was shocked when he came to know about this series launched by the company on January 10 this year. This lead him to immediately contact the corporate office of Shalimar Paints at Andheri and asking them to immediately withdraw the series. Failing to get any response from the company, he along with some other members of HJS, personally visited the company office.

"We explained to them the campaign that we have undertaken in a very peaceful manner. All we have to say is that no person from India should ever promote the paintings of M F Hussain mainly because he is the one responsible for hurting the religious sentiments of crores of Hindus in India," Vatkar said. He further asserts, "Hussain has hurt the religious sentiments of crores of Hindus and Indians through his blasphemous paintings of Hindu deities and Bharat Mata (Mother India). In fact, Hussain has not even spared animals and has depicted his cruelty and perversion towards animals by drawing vague pictures of them too. This has resulted in promoting enmity between different religious groups besides disturbing national integrity and harmony. He has also been accused of committing offences under section 2 of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act."

The Keralaya Kshetra Paripalan Kendra Samiti, which is made up of 85 temples from all over Maharashtra, too has joined hands with HJS on this issue. Mannanur Ravindran, president of the Samiti says, "We always support the HJS in its activities. Most of the members of our Samiti feel that a person who insulted our Gods should not be promoted for any reason whatsoever. We will fight for this cause until the brand withdraws the series of paints completely."

Meanwhile, the company officials have promised the HJS that they will initiate steps in this direction next month. However, Vatkar says that if this does not happen then they will take the issue ahead and ask all Hindus to boycott the brand completely. "The company will have to take us seriously and will understand only when their sales drop," Vatkar concluded.