Indian painter given Qatar nationality

[Bang Galore]

Personally I dont have any strong opinion. But Gubbi I do want to respond to your post.

You found nothing wrong in it but it seems (just a guess) a large number of them feel offended. If he had drawn those paintings without any ill intention then the least he could do was to apologize and get the paintings removed. I guess being a great painter he can have other inspirations apart from hindu gods and godesses.

I beg to disagree. Who are these guys who are protesting? You and I have better things to do than wasting our time on this stuff. The same idiots who protest everything from Valentine's day to My Name Is Khan are the ones doing that. Do you think these guys have ever seen the paintings? These thugs defending "Indian/Hindu" culture probably have never heard of let alone seen paintings of Raja Ravi Verma , M.F.Hussain or indeed any other Indian Icon. They are so proud of scaring a old man out of his country. Are we going to let these lumpen hooligans dictate how our lives should be led. Make no mistake, these guys are not about to stop with M.F Hussain. Then what?

Do you want to wait till these bums directly affect you or your family. We who are so proud of our democracy must always stand to defend it even if we don't always personally agree with an individual's actions as best said by Voltaire, " I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it. ". We are a nation of laws and should never find ourselves answerable to the mob.

I have always been drawn to this poem by Martin Niemöller and its probably apt here.


First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

 

[Novice09]

dont twist things answer the question where is the liberlisim and religious tolerance continious rant by our indian members ?

Here...

Liberalism does not means that any one can hurt your religious feelings.

 

[deesu]

I beg to disagree. Who are these guys who are protesting? You and I have better things to do than wasting our time on this stuff. The same idiots who protest everything from Valentine's day to My Name Is Khan are the ones doing that. Do you think these guys have ever seen the paintings? These thugs defending "Indian/Hindu" culture probably have never heard of let alone seen paintings of Raja Ravi Verma , M.F.Hussain or indeed any other Indian Icon. They are so proud of scaring a old man out of his country. Are we going to let these lumpen hooligans dictate how our lives should be led. Make no mistake, these guys are not about to stop with M.F Hussain. Then what?

Do you want to wait till these bums directly affect you or your family. We who are so proud of our democracy must always stand to defend it even if we don't always personally agree with an individual's actions as best said by Voltaire, " I do not agree with what you have to say, but I'll defend to the death your right to say it. ". We are a nation of laws and should never find ourselves answerable to the mob.

I have always been drawn to this poem by Martin Niemöller and its probably apt here.


First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak out for me.

I read some article in "The Hindu". The author suggested to bring back Salman Rushdie and Tasleema Nasreen to India.
Would you agree for that too???

BTW am an atheist...

 

[Spring Onion]

Bad day. Sad day.

Can anybody tell me what is so vulgar or obscene in the following paintings.

Saraswati

Laxmi

Sita rescued by Hanuman.

Are these the ones he painted ????

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

CORRECT ME if I am wrong but 99% of old hindu temples have naked images on walls , and ppl worship the lingum (penis based on scholors for one of their gods I don't recall which one was it), the above is not my opinion but proven articles

I mean any old temples , these images are engraved in walls etc as well

How is the painter doing anything wrong , ask any thing wrong its some big time , hypocracy

Kama Sutra , an 100% indian creation lol ... come on guys

I personally think there some confusion

Because if the painter is wrong may be all the explicit imagry in old temples should also be removed ? ? ?

Also how can any human know how any diety dressed ? Its just a representation of an artist how a diety should look like (interpetation)

We all come naked in this world just for the record - Its kinda , strange becasue , on one hand , the Indian templaes have these images in temples and historical proof of how highly charged the old life style was , and just because ppl have became conservative then obviously things changed now...

I might have to conduct some reserch on hinduism to dig in more research but I do recall I spent few days to read about the whole hundu thought process etc for general knowledge

 

[Spring Onion]

I read some article in "The Hindu". The author suggested to bring back Salman Rushdie and Tasleema Nasreen to India.
Would you agree for that too???

BTW am an atheist...

Tasleema is already in India.

And no issue in bringing Salman Rushdi to India.

 

[deesu]

Tasleema is already in India.

And no issue in bringing Salman Rushdi to India.

are you sure about that???? as far as I know they were driven away and they are not in India...

From Wikipedia I see this
"Since fleeing Bangladesh in 1994 she has lived in many countries,[1] and currently (2009) lives in New York after expulsion from India in 2008 where she was denounced by the Muslim clergy and received death threats from Islamic fundamentalists. "

I agree that by sitting in Pakistan there will be no issue for u by bring Salman Rushdie to India

 

[notsuperstitious]

Are these the ones he painted ????

Yes, and when he made a movie and when some muslim orgs protested a song in that movie, he did not even release the movie artistic freedom you see

I think this is good for him, let him stay in an islamic country where he's always safe as he sure is NOT going to paint any paintings of islamic characters, not even fully clothed

 

[Bang Galore]

I read some article in "The Hindu". The author suggested to bring back Salman Rushdie and Tasleema Nasreen to India.
Would you agree for that too???

BTW am an atheist...

Yeah, i would. If they wanted to come back, they should be able to do so. Freedom of speech is not something that should be easily fettered. Lots of people here are taking the easy way out - 'you can't insult my feelings'. What use is freedom of speech if you are only free to express it if everyone agrees with you? It's true test is when people don't agree but still respect your right to hold your opinion.

 

[Spring Onion]

Yes, and when he made a movie and when some muslim orgs protested a song in that movie, he did not even release the movie artistic freedom you see

I think this is good for him, let him stay in an islamic country where he's always safe as he sure is NOT going to paint any paintings of islamic characters, not even fully clothed

Dear there are much more songs and scenes in Indian movies which are against Islamic teachings but thats another issue.


The question here is that simple step you Indians can do is to ban his paintings which amount to hurting religious feelings of Hindus.

But being a secular country you have the responsibility to protect him, provide him security in India.

When you can sheltter and protect Tasleema Nasreen for Blasphemous writings against Islam then my dear it was your responsibility to give protection to your own citizen too.

 

[Halaku Khan]

What was wrong with his paintings? I have seen them, I personally I did not feel offended. Infact they were beautiful, celebrating the female form we revere as Goddesses!! Isnt that what Hinduism does, worship the female form as Goddess? Painting them in the nude was NOT derogatory or insulting, on the contrary, MF Hussein did what no present day prudish Hindu can, glorified the female form!!

And FYI, all those posters of Goddesses Laxmi and Saraswati we use daily in our rituals were conceptualized and painted by the renowned Raja Ravi Verma. What if he had painted them in the nude? Would there have been such uproar then?

This is hypocrisy!! This to all you prudes out there, including stupid RSS/VHP/BJP/BD supporters - overt and closet!

A country which brags about being the creator of Kamasutra, fails to celebrate the concept or the idea behind it. An overpopulated land of Kamasutra brings forth such hypocritical prudes. What a Shame!

The point is that Raja Ravi Verma did not paint them in the nude - he had a much better understanding of India's ancient traditions, which do not, by the way, include nude painting of goddesses.

Hussain's paintings were vulgar, and had nothing to do with Indian traditions. I nevertheless support his right to paint anything he wants. Because freedom of expression is most important. And others should have the right to treat him with contempt.

Similarly, one should support the right of brave women like Taslima Nasreen and Hirsi Ali to give their frank views of Islam and its prophet.

 

[notsuperstitious]

No one is advocating hurting feelings of any religion.

The nude paintings and sculptures in Hinduism is notthing new.

They had always been there.

I think we had debated this in details in the past too.


Anyway at the end its a loss of India not ours.

A country that has sheltered Taslima Nasreen because she insulted Islam but the same so-called Secular country doesnt have guts to protect own Citizen because he is a Muslim.

So much so for your respect to religious feelings.


Dear Indians the sentiments should be equal for all faiths. Not just for hindu faith

Jana, we did not kick him out, we did not put him in jail, some people sued him as per laws, but most of those cases were scrapped (i thought all, but the comment in your original article shows may be some legal stuff is still on). he was not convicted, not put in jail. some people protested his paintings, which is their right to protest. he decided to leave the country on his own, he was not stopped. where is the persecution and intolerance?

Taslima though, we kicked her out.

As mf hussain only cares abt not hurting religious sentiments of muslims but not hindus, may be you can give HIM that lecture.

 

[Imran Khan]

respect every religun and kill pll like him as we like to kill danash cartoonst.

 

[notsuperstitious]

Dear there are much more songs and scenes in Indian movies which are against Islamic teachings but thats another issue.


The question here is that simple step you Indians can do is to ban his paintings which amount to hurting religious feelings of Hindus.

But being a secular country you have the responsibility to protect him, provide him security in India.

When you can sheltter and protect Tasleema Nasreen for Blasphemous writings against Islam then my dear it was your responsibility to give protection to your own citizen too.

factually incorrect

he had complete protection in india, show me ONE case where his security was compromised??

Taslima was kicked out of india when muslims protested

You have all your facts and conclusions upside down. Even that comment abt songs, mam, the issue is MFs stand on artistic freedom, he himself gave it up when it came to muslim sentiments, but stood for it when painting sita naked riding hanuman. come on, its not that difficult.

 

[Novice09]

CORRECT ME if I am wrong but 99% of old hindu temples have naked images on walls

Yes, you are wrong.

ppl worship the lingum (penis based on scholors for one of their gods I don't recall which one was it), the above is not my opinion but proven articles

Here you are wrong, AGAIN.

I mean any old temples , these images are engraved in walls etc as well

Have you visited any old temple

How is the painter doing anything wrong , ask any thing wrong its some big time , hypocracy

As done by the Danish cartoonists