Hussain’s paintings withdrawn from exhibition after HJS & VHP’s protest

Mumbai: The famous ‘Juneja Art Gallery’ of Jaipur is holding a painting exhibition from 15th to 17th January 2007. Along with paintings of various noted artists, this exhibition is also going to exhibit anti-Hindu M.F. Hussain’s paintings. In an unprecedented development, the Juneja Art Gallery in their reply to the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (<<< see letter below) on 12.01.2007 declared that they are withdrawing the small drawings by M.F. Hussain from the show, as they did not want to create unrest in anybody’s mind or hurt anyone’s sentiments. This was in response to the HJS’ letter on 11-01-2007 (<< see letter below) to withdraw the paintings of M.F. Hussain at Juneja Art Museum exhibition, as Hussain has hurt the sentiments of Hindus through the nude paintings of Hindu deities.

Previously the two local representatives of the HJS Mrs. Archana Khemka and Mrs. Shubra Bhargav were not properly replied when they had met Mrs. Sangeeta Juneja of the Juneja Art Gallery Jaipur with the same request. Today Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) also lodged their protest in this matter.

<< Protest letter from HJS to ‘Juneja Art Gallery’

||Sree||

Date: 11-January-2007

To,
Smt. Sangeeta Juneja
Juneja Art Gallery
Ground floor 6,7 Laxmi Complex,
M.I Road, Jaipur
Subject: Request to withdraw the paintings of M.F.Husain at Juneja Art Museum exhibition to be held from 15th Jan to 17th Jan 2007.

Dear Madam,

We recently came to know about the display of paintings of M.F.Hussain at the exhibition in Juneja Art Museum, Jaipur from 15th Jan to 17th Jan 2007.We were shocked to know about it, as Hussain has been wanted by Indian police and the Courts as per the various news reported in the media (Police to submit report on M F Hussain’s paintings by Jan 10 – http://www.newkerala.com/news4.php?action= fullnews&id=75218)

It appears that you are not fully aware of the nature of Hussain’s paintings and the worldwide ongoing protests against them. We invite you to take a look at some of the denigrating paintings by Hussain and the worldwide protest campaign, spearheaded by our organization in alliance with Sanatan.org, at www.sanatan.org/hussaincampaign and at www.hindujagruti.org/petition. Here you will see that Mr. Hussain has a history of repeatedly and callously hurting Hindu sentiments by depicting Hindu Deities in lewd, compromising positions and is currently under Indian Government scrutiny for treason for depicting the Indian Motherland (Bharatmata) as a nude woman. You can see that over 29,000 people around the world have registered their protest against M.F. Hussain, demanding a stop to all public display and auction of his works.

Since the inception of this protest campaign in November 2005, India and various parts of the world are witnessing intense agitations against M.F. Hussain. Agitations that include over 1250 formal police complaints, 7 court cases, burning of Hussain effigies, citywide strikes, road blocking, as well as several protest demonstrations in the US and UK. At times, the inaction and passivity of the Indian media and government forced the agitators to lose patience and take a violent turn, as in the case of an attack on the Husain-Doshi art gallery, mob destruction of public property in some cities in India, and public announcements of rewards for maiming or killing M.F. Hussain, as well as the closing of the Hussain paintings exhibition in Asia House gallery in Oxford Street London after protest demonstrations and a vandal attack.

Hussain has also invited the displeasure of Muslim leaders and various Government officials from around the world. For example, Ruth Bennett, Acting Public Affairs Officer of the US State Government responded to our protests outside Christies in NY: Thank you for alerting us to your concerns over the auction of paintings by artist M.F. Hussain in New York. I appreciate that his work is controversial and has angered many. Ms. Bennett advised us to make our views known to auction houses perpetrating Hussain’s paintings. Muslim religious leaders, too, have condemned Hussain (a so-called Muslim) and put up prize money for maiming him, for his denigrating paintings, which are considered as essentially against Islamic principles. The honorable courts of India have already summoned and issued warrants against Mr. Hussain in various cities like Indore, Delhi, etc., since mid-March 2006, for hurting religious sentiments and creating communal disharmony. That is why, M.F. Hussain has been cited as absconding to UK. The details of all these news can be seen at www.sanatan.org/hussaincampaign/#news.

If there is anything that the worldwide violence over Prophet Mohammed’s caricatures has taught us, it is that religious sentiments are the most sacred of all to those who follow any religion. Denigrating them as the likes of Hussain and the Danish cartoonists have done, or disregarding them as the likes of the Danish press and or art galleries perpetrating Hussain’s paintings have done, can incite communal disharmony if not widespread violence. That is why, the UN ex-Secretary General, Kofi Annan in view of the crisis over caricatures of Prophet Mohammad has advocated that, "We must stress that rights carry with them an inherent responsibility, and should not be used to degrade, humiliate or insult any group or individual?

As one can plainly see, M.F. Hussain has abused his freedom of expression. Allowing his paintings on display and sale at your esteemed auction would be as good as disregarding religious sentiments, thus abetting the perpetration of communal disharmony and violence. Should he be allowed to enjoy elite status and fortune, when even the Indian courts and the government are holding him guilty for hurting Hindus’ religious sentiments?

We urge you to follow in the footsteps of the esteemed Bombay Art Gallery, in Mumbai (India) that, in response to the protests of Hindus, cancelled the Lifetime Achievement (Roopdhar) felicitation of M.F. Hussain at the hands of the Maharashtra Governor, who too, declined to felicitate Hussain. Withdrawing the paintings of M. F. Hussain in light of the above will go a long way in setting yourself as an organization that upholds ethics in art and not just art for the sake of commercial gain. It would also help prevent ill will and agitations of Hindus against not only Hussain, but also your esteemed institution that must have a substantial patronage from Hindus.

We expect your prompt reply and action in this regard.

Sincerely,
Dr. Manoj Solanki
Spokesperson
Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (Hindu Awareness Forum)
Goa, India

<<< Apology letter from ‘Juneja Art Gallery’ to HJS

To: Hindu Janajagruti Samiti
From: Juneja Art Gallery, Jaipur

To who so ever it may concern,

This is to inform you that we are withdrawing the small drawings by M.F. Hussain from the show, i.e, to start next week. We do not want to create unrest in anybody’s mind or hurt anyone’s sentiments.

Best Regards,

Spokesperson
Juneja Art Gallery

(Let us offer gratitude to God for this small success. Let this serve as inspiration to Hindus to persevere till Hussain is punished for all his crimes. – Editor)