Editorial - A dangerous message…
Neha Gohil, Editor
A London exhibition of paintings by Indian artist M. F. Hussain was cancelled after unidentified vandals defaced erotic paintings of Durga and Draupadi, which certain Hindu groups had been campaigning against. The attack caused an estimated ÂŁ200,000 of damage. The closure of the art gallery sends a dangeous message to both the Hindu community as well as to the general British public…
June 21st, 2006 at 11:11 am
I was moved to ponder the juxtaposition of Husain portraying Hindus in the nude — which, it was alleged, he associates with depravity –and his paintings of Muslim subjects (well clad in hijab). Maybe, he needs to explain, or deny what has been attributed to him.
I’m quite clear about your stance, that what our vandals did was atrocious, even though it made the Asia House wallahs were to take action finally.
I’m even more certain that the Hindu community is being hijacked by our lunatic fringe. What would Gandhi do is not bad, for starters. We must consider that, in a world clearly gone mad, we stand out as a voice of sanity — of reason, compassion, and tolerance (when we are not burning satees, killing dalits, or pandering to Kali — that is).
Frankly, I’d let Husain have his exhibition; he can’t damage Hinduism. Our overlooking his biased, even malicious, vision cannot take away from Hinduism its greatesat virtue: the ability to withstand criticism, caricature, and distortion. But I’d ask Husain to explain.
I’m glad you have disassociated from our homegrown figment of those that are clearly gone mad; rabid Hinduism is as bad as rabid Christianity (read Bush), rabid Judaism (read right-wing Israelis), rabid Islam (read Sunni as well as Shi’a), rabid Buddhism (read Sinhalese), or rabid Sikhism (read Khalistanis); Gandhi would say that the perceived khatara (peril) that Hinduism faces is not from Husain and his ilk, but from our own charlatans. Read the history of all belief systems, including Marxism.
Let Husain have his show; concentrate on exposing him, if you will — but don’t exhibit fascistic behaviour, which is unbecoming of what Hinduism has distinctly stood for in thousands of years — an attitude that marks, perhaps ensures, its endurance.
June 21st, 2006 at 11:21 am
It is really sad that the peace loving hindus had to take the law in to their own hands. After repeated requests, letters the Asia House refused to even acknowledge the grievences of hindu community. The behaviour of Asia house is more shocking given the fact that M F husain’s exhibition is banned in india as well.
Since the arrival of congress governmnt in india, there is a deliberate attempt to provoke hindus under the disguise of “seculrism”. Asia House’s attempt to go ahead with the exhibition is an attemt to please their masters in Delhi and some of the so called “liberal” hindus ( read communists ) like meghnad desai.
But the saddest part is, only “some” hindus are offended by these horrible paintings of hindu gods by M F Hussain. Unless untill all the hindus get offended, there is no hope for any dignity for hindus.
June 21st, 2006 at 1:08 pm
I understand that the exhibition was opened by the India High Commissioner.
With prior protests against the lewd paintings in India, do you think it was the right thing to do for the High Commissioner of India to perform the opening ceremony of that exhibition?
June 21st, 2006 at 3:25 pm
Actually I don’t call the people who trashed the gallery vandals or rabble. But more like the pride of the hindu community. The scum that wanted this exhibition showed their true colours and would never have cancelled without this incident.
June 21st, 2006 at 6:15 pm
The fact only mentioned by Editor. Muslims allways behave like this, that is why whole world fear them….Hindu’s must so something
June 21st, 2006 at 7:29 pm
For how long Hindus will stay mute ?Hussian and Desai are same.There is no difference. Their job is to denigrate the religion by one way or other. it is ashame that people like Desai still bear Hindu names.
June 21st, 2006 at 9:41 pm
“I’m even more certain that the Hindu community is being hijacked by our lunatic fringe. What would Gandhi do is not bad, for starters. We must consider that, in a world clearly gone mad, we stand out as a voice of sanity — of reason, compassion, and tolerance (when we are not burning satees, killing dalits, or pandering to Kali — that is). ”
Invoking Gandhi’s name has no standing in the issue, Gandhi is no Sri Krishna that we Hindus will bow down to, those who have a tendency to deify people can take up that job and start doing puja’s to him.
As for your assertion that we are burning satis, well learn to read the news, the last act of sati by Rup Kunwar took place over a decade ago and it was voluntary (and go read the accounts of medieval European travellers in India, they also say that most cases of sati were voluntary acts). Nextly killing Dalits, well atrocities certainly happen but why this selective picking, what about atrocities against Brahmins, an example would be what the Dravidianists were doing in Tamil Nadu to Tamil Brahmins during the height of their movement (and no I am not Brahmin).
And what is wrong with Kali Ma, maybe you imbibed rabid Christianity and see the non existent satan in her, go take a look at your own rubbish before you lecture us Hindus.
June 22nd, 2006 at 9:38 am
Hindus are peaceful alright but we are not Stupid!Unfortunately because our tolerant nature, others view this as being cowards and incapable of standing up!
I believe its a greater crime to just stand by and do nothing even when our faith, religion,our belief is being ridicule. I say well done to the “vandal” who doing what they did. They deserve a medal!
Sanjay
June 22nd, 2006 at 10:13 am
i think we could have done more as a community to stop the paintings being displayed. for people to take the law in to their own hands should be the last resort. we as hindus currently have a reputation of dealing with matters like this through the correct route. this vandalism was not neccassary even though it was understandable why people would want to do such a thing.
June 22nd, 2006 at 11:44 am
What happened to the paintings was not right.
At the end of the day freedom of expression is something we encourage. However rights come with responsibilities and in this case Asia House, the India High Commissioner were irresponsible.
By vandalising these paintings we are falling into the trap that I believe M.F.H wants, a violent reaction from the Hindu community similar to that of the Muslim community (Muhammad Cartoons). It is important that we do not get drawn in to his trap.
The Hindu communities have been law abiding citizens since the first Hindus arrived, and slowly we are being recognised as an individual group (not just as Asians). We need to take the opportunity to show that we as a Hindu community have concerns about certain issues but we deal with them peacefully, not breaking any laws. We can not afford a Hinduphobia.
June 22nd, 2006 at 4:15 pm
We all have the right to Freedom of expression - regardless of others views. This act of vandalism is truly sad - learned people would not resort to violence no matter what the circumstances.
He, as we all do, have rights and freedoms to our personal views. No judge, jury or person has the right to attack another persons views just because they do not agree with them.
I do not condone Hussains work. I am a Hindu and respect my culture deeply. But we are all responsible for our personal actions and how we conduct ourselves in society. We are not responsible for Hussains actions.
June 24th, 2006 at 1:40 am
By the way, why does he get the courage to only offend Hindus? Don’t you agree with me that the Hindus are most selfish when it concerns the collective Hindus and Hinduism? Do they really care who plays with their sensibilities?
Look, how the Indian government keeps appeasing the christians on the issue of Da Vinci code!
Look, how the polititians have the courage to give some voice against that picutre of Mohammad!
And when it comes for the Hindus, not a leaf will move. Why so? Have you asked yourselves? Haven’t you or we have gone wrong somewhere by tolerating all the nonsense done to you and us? Aren’t you Hindus proud to call yourselves most tolerant lot?
Those who know Kannada will understand the following saying:
‘Baggidanige vondu guddhu hechchu’ So this is the story with the Hindus.
June 29th, 2006 at 8:20 am
COMMENT ERASED BY MODERATOR
June 29th, 2006 at 8:11 pm
Namasta
We are all children of Bhagwan why should we criticise any religion. In my opinion as a Hindu we all pray to the same one God just in different ways if you view all the different religion beliefs they are all basically the same. But for Hussain to indulge in such vicious acts regarding Mata Durga this is unforgivable and he deserves what he got. I must say Hindus are the most loving, caring, religious and respectable people I have known it is because our forefathers taught us this beautiful way to live in peace and harmony.
Sita Ram
July 1st, 2006 at 2:52 pm
” if you view all the different religion beliefs they are all basically the same.”
Well then where is the need for us to stay Hindu then, so let us just all convert to Islam and Christianity because they are basically the same as Hinduism, this will also put an end to the conflict between Hindus and Muslims and Christians, wouldn’t you agree, if all religions are the same then we will be following Hinduism even if we all convert, so what do you say to that Sita Ram?
July 3rd, 2006 at 10:32 pm
This latter point is further explored in Harsh Narain’s booklet, ‘Myth of Composite Culture and Equality of Religions’, available from Voice of India. Note I make no comment on my own personal views either for or against the ideas in this book but offer it merely as an interesting piece in connection with this discussion.
July 5th, 2006 at 9:22 pm
Hatred is egocentric. The actions one takes, if egoless, ethnoless, guna-less is closer to the model given to us in the Gita. The Muslim and Christian relgions are based on egocentric rise to salvation. We can not expect them to declare universal rules to which they will agree - they must ultimately defer self-God relationships to Self-book-God. Thus we should expect them to attack those of us that seek the nirguna truth.
An action, ie vandalism, is just an event. The intent and result guided the action of some people. Was not Hanuman’s attack on Lanka vadalism? How do we say one was good one bad?
I certainly would challenge any artist who paints using Hindu symbols in a negative way to paint using Mohamed and Jesus in a like way. Then the artist is leberated from his tiny mind. Otherwise he is painting propaganda and certainly that does not belong in an art display.
We can not continue to turn the other cheek. If the abarhamic religions tell us to be pacifist while they are aggressively annhilating us we must understand this as evil (read Ravaana) trying to kidnap our souls (read Sita). But simply attacking one man, one man’s work, one religion is not meaningful. When Rama slew Ravaana, Ravaana was absorbed into Rama. Thus the solution is not destruction but abso(rption)lution. We must point to the evil, we must identify it, label it, and do battle with its many headed nature. Then we must forgive the persons through which it operates for from perfection cam perfection.
The pharse of ‘violence as a last resort’ is nonsense. No government believes it and the abrahamic religions define it as if you fail to convert then the last resort is to kill your family. Our tradition abhors violence because we know it is often done for the wrong purposes. But our beliefs don’t say this. It says violence is present in the world just as any other tool. Use when it is appropriate with the pronciples of ahimsa, ego-lessness, self renunciation, and detachment. Not easy but certainly doable and this is what Gandhi Ji gave to the world.
Violence and non-violence both can only be done for Shanti and Shanti is desireable. The results are not in our hands but the Karmic moment is.
hariaum
July 16th, 2006 at 6:44 pm
On this discussion some have praised the work of the vandals, but I believe this is not the best thing to do. For me it is as bad as the praise of the London bombers by parts of the Muslim community.
We as Hindus do have a duty (our dharma) to protect our religion when there are clear attempts of bringing it down however we need to do it in a lawful manner. I agree as lawful citizens it seems we never seem to get things changed, but this is because we seem to act in small numbers. We need to act as a large team, get all Hindus involved, petitions, marches get on to the radio and news.
It may take a lot of time and energy to get through but at least we can hold our heads up and say we did it the right way, we made a difference and guess what we didn’t have to kill anyone, didn’t dress up as bombers waving racist placards, we didn’t burn flags nor did we cause any damage.
July 16th, 2006 at 6:48 pm
Well said, H.
July 19th, 2006 at 7:42 pm
I don’t think Gandhi Ji said follow the law because it is the law. In fact he readily violated a law that promoted inequity (the salt law was not unfair or illegal - it simply promoted the raj whose existence was immoral).
Following the system as a first attempt at reform is appropriate but sometimes the injustice is so great and interconnected that the law is insufficient to create justice.
The question we have is whether we act due to ego or ethnocentrism - for the fruits - or do we act for the right without attahment to ourself. After all the Gita is about a revolution - treason - against a poor king. Certainly ahimsa is a guiding principle and violence is not desireable. But often hindu cowardice is hidden behind the word tolerance (”let it go”…).
I agree with satyagraha, not random violence, but a prinicpled aggressive life to recruit truth for fighting injustice. I do not agree with the cowardice many hindus have in their daily life . (alas we are not all Rama’s and Gandhi’s but our love for god demands we forgive the foolishness in our own hearts and peoples).
Frankly I think the first thing we need to do is raise to the worldly stage the spirit of hinduism. In this our crazy world people read about and convert to islam after 9/11. They don’t say - wow, let me read and embrace the paths that did not do this. But WE need to provide the path (hence non-violence) and educate more aggressively the world (and ourselves) of the importance of fighting the ideologies of intolerance (rigid caste, name worship (Jesus), book worship (Koran)…).
In the meantime how do you respond to the continued killing of those that held their head up in moral righteousness, the taking of their families, and the destruction of their cultures - Partial list of cultures destroyed by Christianity: Republic of Rome, Greece, Vikings, Celts, Maya, Inca, Hopi, Navajo… How many people need to suffer for our tolerance of their oppressors?
August 1st, 2006 at 4:20 pm
Please could I refer moderators to the posting by Vasudevan, June 29th, 2006 at 8:20 am - and request that this post be deleted. Many thanks.
September 11th, 2006 at 4:03 pm
in india such action would be considerd as extrimist, one should be proud of his reiligion and he must be respectfull to the reiligon.
January 23rd, 2007 at 10:01 pm
Thanks again to the vandals for a job well done. I hope you full success in your future endevors!
January 23rd, 2007 at 10:56 pm
It is no wonder that MF Hussain draws his pictures with such filth imagined. The cesspit that is his mind is his karma and instead of him ameliorating he presses on with his own lifelong hate. Imagine your own folks naming you MF …. Huss…. Of course you will hate the world. Imagine you’re in class and your classmates constantly ask “Dudes where is that MF …… Hussain?” or “Don’t let that MF have that paint brush..” etc
Final point. We should all ask for the removal of the High Comissioner of India. He has clearly shown that he is unable to represent the sentiments of his countryment who pay his salary. So I say Get rid of the MF, oh and the High Comissioner.
Veda Shakti!
January 24th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
I second my olde mate Deeno in calling for Kamlesh Sharma to head back to India and take it easy…
in fact why not just shut down the whole indian high commission and outsource it to Kabul or Basra or some other equally nice place…
Never mind good olde MF will have his karma to deal with and the rest of us have ours…
as for the vandals - well they called Gandhi and Sardar Patel and Bose vandals and terrorists as well
I think vandalism is like beauty it in the eye of the beholder….
regards
Jack B
January 26th, 2007 at 3:49 am
this hussian must be beaten to death for insulting our go=ds and goddesses in the mmanner-. why does he not depict a islamic themem in his painting? isit because he would get the fate which the hindu community should mete out to him but does not because of hindu traitors?
this old muslim pervert has been known to salivate over nubile youung hindu actresses like mangotkar-this mad muslim painter must be lynched to death.
January 26th, 2007 at 8:25 am
At Last - Avatar! “A Let’s act posting”. I am with you 100%. And HC Kamlesh Sharma should be tarred and feathered. Or Least forced to resign. Jack B holds to this. Do you?
January 26th, 2007 at 5:09 pm
No no no. To defeat the evil we do not immitate evil. We do draw reactions though. We need to be out there depicting Mohamed and allah. The more we do it the more muslims will be confronted by the immaturity of thier own beliefs. If we cower before them and not draw mohamed and allah we give in to their intimidation. As activist we must make our enemy face their own evil. Not immitate it.
Action: draw mohamed and allah wherever you can. Draw them postively and negatively. It should reflect a deep meaning - perhaps a tearful mohamed and allah as muslims kill the human spirit of inquiry. such a drawing is art (as opposed to MFH’s propaganda).
hariaum
January 26th, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Navin does have a good point.
I still think Kamlesh Sharma should be tarred and feathered. Especially forbringing the good house of Sharma into disrepute
December 2nd, 2007 at 3:38 pm
M.F.hussain is going too far in crossing the limits of decency in the name of art.Even caricature of allah evoked protests all over the world.
Husaain can draw himself in nude and put it on all malls if he can.
December 8th, 2007 at 6:17 pm
The article says Quote:
“..and was dedicated exclusively to early works of Indian artist Maqbool Fida Husain” Unquote.
Is M. F. Husain Indian? Who says? He was born in India, lives there, and has an Indian passport .. does that make him Indian? I rather think not.
” .. Some rabble decided to take the law into its own hands and attack at the gallery”
Rabbles No. Proud Hindus standing up? Yes! Hey guys, well done - who ever you are! Its time we stood up for ourselves.
” ..The incident caused ÂŁ200,000 worth of damage”
OK - so? They did ignore us - so these guys communicated in a different language, perhaps better understood by them?
Reckless? Umm .. a matter of opinion. I’d rather say it was good planning and well executed.
Unacceptable? Perhaps .. if only the organisers had taken heed in the first place?
Undignfied? Doubt it. Direct action - is what I would call it.
I hesitate to brand these Hindu’s as being simplistic “vandals”.
“Strong Hindus” perhaps, yes .. for they had the guts to stand up.
“..This whole sorry episode sends a very harmful and dangerous message..”
Why sorry, harmful or dangerous? These guys have made a “call to arms” .. a language even the British Government seems to understand when so spoken by certain sections of the British society where they get what they want, or otherwise they riot.
Perhaps this painter ought to portray Allah or Mahommad in those postures, or does he worry that his own (Not Indians by the way) would put a fatwa on him?
Well said Avtar & others - sadly for me, I find myself at loggerheads yet again with Navin’s views when he utters in asolute anguish ” No No No..”, and yet Navin talks about “educating them” elsewhere on this site - LOL.
December 9th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
Dr. Visho Sharma you need help my friend. Arguably perhaps I do too - who knows - lol. Someone stands up for us when guys like you keep quiet, and you call it “being hijacked by our lunatic fringe”? You are a sad case man.
I just cant understand why guys live you need to advertise your professional status. No one here cares that you are a doctor. I could be a philosopher and PHD, a multi-millionaire stock broker or a city dealer, a surgeon, a little accounts clerk or that beggar playing his guitar at Kings Cross Station - does it really matter, doctor shahib?
Anand - this exhibitionn is banned in India largely due to efforts of activists there which otherwise would not be the case. The Congress Govt. in india pretends “secular”. It is in essence an Islamic controlled government.
Sanjay - Hussain & Desai are different. Hussain insults our faith (not his) and Desai agrees. Hussain is cleverer then Desai.
Bhavin - you are an optimist. Did you mean the Hindu Council, or the Hindu Forum, or all the other Hindu associations by any chance? They are all a joke! Forget them mate .. what these guys did is right!
H - I do not believe so but even if it was, then is a hindu “fatwa” on this man not in order? Let the uprising begin …why not? We retake India for the Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist and the Christian Indians as it is the people of these faiths who make India secular. and then consign the Congress into political wilderness.
Navin Varma you misguided soul! Hanuman Dada attacked Ravans Lanka to free our beloved Mata Sita kidnapped by Ravan, wife of his and our Ram Bhagwaan. How can you trivialise such an epic attack in protection of righteousness with simplistic vandalism? Extreme violence against violence is sometimes the only resort my friend - and indeed the final sanction! For eg. the attack on Afghanistan, and the Impending attack on Iran should Iran not comply.
H compares this to the Islamic terror attacks on the London trains - not to be confused H, as the issues are different. Their intent was to maim and kill .. ours is not, and will never be so. We strive .. agree, or not?
December 14th, 2007 at 12:18 am
Violence IS justified as an efficient form of diplomacy. It is not an end in itself. Thus violence must bring results to be warranted - the ends are a measure of the justness of violence - a violent action that fails is empty of meaning and full of hurt. But, violence against innocents is unjust and thus the means are a measure of the justness of violence - a violent action that propagates injustice is himsa. So a hindu use of violence must be just and efficient. The risk is that to an egocentric mind the ends and means seem just, ergo terrorism. Thus it is without ego, detached and renounced, that Arjuna must pick up his bow. Not for himself, nor for his family does he lift the bow but for justice itself. After having tried apeasement, after having attempted surrender, when even that was not enough he was forced into violence. He does not gain heaven for it. he does not gain kingdom for it. He does not gain preservation of his life values for it. He does not gain Krishna’s love for it. He gains nothing but does it because it is what is in front of him and it is what is just (you’ll note that the tradition of the yudh reduced the chances of innocents being hit). (I would also suggest the violence in not the final sanction but a strategically used one.)
A question: if violence alone is the solution then why did Sita Ji defer rescue from Hanuman Ji? The Ramayana is not a simple tale of rescue and justified violence. It has more to do with Rama and grace and perspective and faith and role v identity and all the other things that are important to humans to learn. Hanuman Ji is great because of his faithfulness of Rama as a bhakta. All else, including his powers and miracles, is secondary.
A hindu fatwa is an oxymoron. Let such things go.
Misguided I am for “I am” of vidya. As neither war nor satyagraha have made the world peaceful, we have to keep trying to find ways. I suspect the answer is in education and tolerance as demonstrated among the many raj-s of medieval India, the many cultures, the many languages, the many religions, etc. that did allow peace at least to a greater extent than anywhere or anytime else in the world.
hariaum
March 18th, 2008 at 9:35 pm
I think protests would have worked best. While being considered “hard” is a desired for the street, the common public does not take it lightly. Of what I’ve heard of current British society, Britain has to deal with quite a deal of Muslim pandering over the last 5 years. We don’t want British society to think the same about Hindus.
Protest and protest until Asia house recognizes what’s wrong and then even if they don’t remove it, you can take the credit for caring and not be branded as fundamentalists.
I know I’ll be attacked for this, but I think it follows a middle path that will turn out to be to our advantage in the long run.
March 20th, 2008 at 6:36 pm
An intelligent comment by Keshav, which I endorse wholeheartedly. Further, not only is this a matter of public perception and image, in not wanting Hindus to be thought of or branded as dangerous fundamentalists who have to be pandered to and appeased to ensure host community safety, but also, such activity goes against Hindu values anyway. I recall speaking to one Al Muhajiroun leader after a meeting in Britain, where he had been speaking about the greatness of Islamic tolerance and Allah’s mercy. When I asked him how this squared up to Al Muhajiroun’s repeated calls for violence and recruitment to jihad, his answer was quite simple - the jihadi is not there to follow Islam, but to protect it; let’s not see similar hypocrisy arising in Hindu society.