Exposing ExpressBuzz Op-Ed
A brief & hurried dissection of Exposing Indian democracy – the Op-Ed in today’s The New Indian Express. Comments and thoughts welcome, as always…
It has now become abundantly clear that Qatar has offered M F Husain citizenship, though it is not entirely clear yet whether one of India’s greatest artists has accepted the offer yet.
What is abundantly clear is that Sh Husain does not have to accept it. It has been offered not forced on him.
If he does, he will have to renounce Indian citizenship. And that, as members of the art fraternity and the public at large say, will be a matter of great shame.
“Public at large”? Can you please share some more insight into the thinking of this public at large?
..India’s reputation as a democracy will be blackened throughout the world.
…because an artist took another country’s citizenship? You cannot be serious!
More importantly, however, Indians themselves will have to ponder important questions relating to democracy, rule of law and public culture in general.
Yes, of course…how about starting from here: Chhatrapati Shivaji, Afzal Khan and a mini riot
the people primarily to blame are of course the thugs of the Sangh Parivar and their leaders.
Specific names of the people with their affiliations please.
The kind of fascist intolerance they display to any viewpoint or perspective that does not square with theirs makes a mockery of democracy.
Wait a minute! Are we talking of Akbaruddin Owaisi who made this chilling statement on the floor of the AP Assembly?
It is legitimate to kill Taslima Nasreen under Islamic law, but unfortunately we could not do it*.
The next sentence lets the real intentions slip:
But that is just a part of the problem. After all, we all know what the Sangh Parivar is all about.
Ahh, so this is about the “Sangh Parivar”!
The other important problem is the unwillingness of the agencies of the state and other parties to take robust steps to counter the illegal activities of the many lumpen arms of the parivar.
Dear Editor: In that case should your diatribe not be directed at the Congress Party which has been at the helm of affairs of the state for 50+ years since 1947?
People get away with whatever they want to do…
Indeed they do…an example here and another one here.
what it (government) should do in short order is put behind bars the Thackerays, Singhals and Togadias.
The Thackerays live in the jurisdiction of a state ruled by Congress…and all of them, including the Singhals and the Togadias, live in India…which is ruled by the UPA propped by the Congress.
I would be very interested to hear a] whether you have taken your recommendations to the Congress party and b] if you did, what was their reaction.
It is supremely ironical that those who routinely instigate violence in which lives are lost and property vandalised should enjoy the protection of the state at the highest level.
Indeed..does the name of Sh Sajjan Kumar ring a bell? or how about people like these?
…the Congress (calculates)… that defending the rule of law is not worth it if it means offending the lunatic fringe…”
I’m glad you said this…It would have been helpful if you could have given some examples…such as:
Of Haj Pilgrims and Unruly Fliers
Will Arundhati Roy pl. stand up for Francois Gautier?
UPDATED: Is Taslima being treated differently from MF Husain?
Related Post:
M F Husain, “Artistic Freedom†and a sense of deja-vu
On Husain, Khajuraho and moral policing
Image courtesy: MFHusain.com
Sorry for this OT, but I would like to narrate an incident happened with me 2 weeks back at Delhi domestic airport:
I was returning to Bengaluru carrying a bottle containing Gangajal and when I asked the attendant at Kingfisher counter if it would be accepted in check-in luggage he said most likely it would be removed. So I decided to carry it with me to cabin whatever milliliters were allowed at least to be sure that some amount of Gangajal remained with me till Bengaluru. My handbag was stamped by security and I showed him the bottle and mentioned about my intention to carry whatever allowed amount of Gangajal I could with me. To which the security person replied (very) rudely that I don’t care what it is and you have to throw “that water”. I mentioned him my understanding that I was allowed to carry some amount of water with me – to which 2 another security guys rallied and told me to ‘throw’ the bottle and leave. I was not ready to accept this and explained them that it was my “religious sentiment” and I could drink rest of the Gangajal except what was allowed inside cabin. They said they “don’t care” and showed me a large amount of Gangajal “seized” by them! I also mentioned them that I could have checked in the bottle but I was warned that it would be removed – again they confidently confirmed that they would anyway “throw” it. They removed attention from me and got busy with their work. I was not sure if I could go inside – but a co-passenger told me that one of the three security guys had removed the already stamped tag on my handbag without notifying me.
By this time I had started losing control. I was feeling like standing on Dubai or Malaysia airport. I again got into conversation with the security and told them my knowledge that around some mls (300 or 500) of liquid was allowed as per rules. All three security guys started laughing at me and said it was just 100ml. Here I told them that my first question to them was about the same and I should be allowed to carry 100ml Gangajal. They said (one of them came near to me standing as if to scare me out) forget it, “throw” the water and go inside. I got fed up and asked about his boss… went there and complained against those three people. Their officer asked me to drink around three quarters of water from the bottle and carry the remaining water with me. I also wanted to lodge official complaint against the three security personals but their boss suggested me that he would talk to them in front of me and take care of the business. Anyway I was cooled down by his ‘polite’ talk and nearing departure time, so just left from their with my hard earned Gangajal on a ‘foreign’ land – a land which no more is for Hindus!
Just imagine what would happen if such rude and intolerant behavior (if at all) happens with a muslim or a christian with their religious sentiments?
Nice analysis! The sad part is that far too many Indians agree with the views expressed in this op-ed.
You have assumed that all Indians are equal, while the writer of this piece knows that Hindus are second-class citizens in India!
To accept or not to accept citizenship of another country is Hussian personal choice. Teh Govt of India has been categorical in assuring that it would accord necessary security to Hussain.
Country like India will always find fantics of religion because either theya re misguided or loose cannons to score brownie points to further ones career.
When Hussain showcassed his now infamous paintings, he forgot that it could enrage sections of the society in India. In the name of artistic freedom one cant and should not be a dividise for the cause of the nation.
On the other hand when Hussain did offer an apology (hose ever late it could be), the apology should have been accepted.
Neither happend and the fanatical groups took advantage of the situation and shooed away Hussain to Dubai and now may be Qatar.
I dont see the need to make any big hue can cry on this issue!!!
Indian Express has off late been at the forefrotn of being partisan, they at times are liberal and at times are conservative. But end of the day they are in the “Business of News Media” – business to need to make money. It is up to individuals on what needs to be accorded and what not.
There are many civil cases in Indian courts against Hussein citing his paintings which are objectionable to a majority of religious people and are prima facea seen to be disturbing peace and harmony in India. Whether Hussein is at fault or not is yet to be determined by the courts.
That being so, can Mr Hussein escape the civil proceedings altogether by renouncing Indian citizenship ?
If yes, I guess this is a method available to anyone who wants to evade justice ? All they need is foreign sponsorship… am I right ?
@X. No, Mr. Hussein cannot escape civil proceedings. Moreover, people who have filed suit against him should not back down. The trial should take place in his absence. And, if the organizations win, it is left to the law enforcement agencies to enforce the judgment delivered by the courts.
A telling excerpt from an interview of MF Husain by Shekhar Gupta, published 10th Jun ’11:
Q: Are you a devout person in your personal life?
A: I am a believer and not a non-believer.
…
Q: The question that people would like to throw at you is — if you can paint Hindu gods and godesses like this, why don’t you paint the Prophet?
A: I don’t want to say anything.
Says a lot, doesn’t it?