Mumbai: Ms. Nafisa Ali of Action India last night in a television appearance declared that the controversial Bharatmata painting has been sold. Twenty-four hours before the media reported that Husain had asked for an apology. Sharan Aparao the curator of the gallery who had arranged the sale has declared that the painting is withdrawn from the auction. In this painting Bharatmata is shown as a nude woman with names of states and cities mentioned on her body. Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS) an organisation, which has raised objection and filed police complaints, is very unhappy with this development and is questioning the Govt., ‘Who is fooling whom ?’ The Samiti is asking the Govt. particularly Home Minister of Maharashtra to clarify the situation.
HJS is of the opinion that since the police complaints were filed in Mumbai before the auction started and the Govt.’s attention was sought before the picture was declared sold, it is now the Govt.’s duty to declare its stand and clarify the situation. Otherwise the concept behind this whole issue would be that anyone could paint or draw anything in anyway for public view. Would this be acceptable?
According to HJS, till the issue is sorted out, those who have sold and assisted the sale of the painting, those who have published it, and the painter all have insulted the Nation’s pride. Therefore all of them should be punished according to the law. Earlier in the above mentioned program which was telecast yesterday at 10 p.m. on CNN-IBN, HJS spokesperson had stated that the Bharatmata painting issue is not restricted to Hindus. The Samiti would have taken objection irrespective of the painter’s religion or cast.
HJS will continue its agitation as the issue of Husain’s blasphemous paintings, which were denigrating the Hindu deities, is still pending. In light of the above episode, the Maharashtra State Govt. should declare the details about the complaint filed. The Samiti’s demands related to this issue includes arrest of the painter, legal action against him for hurting Hindu feelings, withdrawing his national honours are same.
Sincerely,
Shri. Ramesh Shinde
Spokesperson, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti,
Maharashtra State.
Contact: 9322652711
Email: [email protected]
