"This is a Letter to the Editor of The Hindu, from a practising Christian lady who was Professor in
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Dear Ram,
I have taken time to write this to you Ram -- for the simple reason that we have known you for so many years -- you and The Hindu bring back happy memories. Please take what I am putting down as those that come from an agonized soul. You know that I do not mince words and what I have to say I will -- I call a spade a spade -- now it is too late for me to learn the tricks of being called a ‘secularist’, if that means a bias for one, and a bias against another.
Hussain is now a citizen of
There is no second opinion that artists have the Right of Freedom of expression. Is such a right restricted only to Hussain? Will that right not flow to Dan Brown -- why was his film Da Vinci Code not screened? Why was Satanic Verses banned -- does Salman Rushdie not have that freedom of expression? Similarly, why is Taslima hunted and hounded and why fatwas have been issued on both these writers? Why has
Regarding Hussain’s artistic freedom it seems to run unfettered in an expression of sexual perversion only when he envisages the Hindu Gods and Goddesses. There is no quarrel had he painted a nude woman sitting on the tail of a monkey. The point is he captioned it as Sita. Nobody would have protested against the sexual perversion and his orientatation to sexual signs and symbols. But would he dare to caption it as ‘
Next example is the painting of Saraswati copulating with a lion. Here again his perversion is evident and so is his intent. Even that, let's concede, cannot be faulted -- each one’s sexual orientation is each one’s business I suppose. But he captioned it as Saraswati. This is the problem. It is Hussain’s business to enjoy in painting his sexual perversion. But why use Saraswati and Sita for his perverted expressions? Use
Talking about Freedom of Expression -- this is the Hussain who supported Emergency -- painted Indira Gandhi as Durga slaying Jayaprakash Narayan. He supported the jailing of artists and writers. Where did this Freedom of Expression go? And you call him secularist? Would you support the jailing of artists and writers Ram – would you support the abeyance of the Constitution and all that we held sacred in democracy and the excessiveness of Indira Gandhi to gag the media writers - political opponents? Tell me, honestly why does Hussain expect this Freedom when he himself did not support others with the same freedom he wants? And the media has rushed to his rescue. Had it been a Ram who painted such obnoxious, degrading painting - the reactions of the media and the elite ‘secularists’ would have been different; because there is a different perception/ and index of secularism when it comes to Ram -- and a different perception/and index of secularism when it comes to Rahim/Hussain.
It brings back to my mind an episode that happened to The Hindu some years ago. [1991] You had a separate weekly page for children with cartoons, quizzes, and with poems and articles of school children. In one such weekly page The Hindu printed a venerable bearded man -- fully robed with head dress, mouthing some passages of the Koran -- trying to teach children. It was done not only in good faith but as a part of inculcating values to children from the Koran. All hell broke loose. Your office witnessed goons who rushed in -- demanded an apology -- held out threats. In Ambur, Vaniambadi and
Well this is of the past -- today it is worse because the communal temperature in this country is at a all high -- even a small friction can ignite and demolish the country’s peace and harmony. It is against this background that one should view Hussain who is bent on abusing and insulting the Hindu Gods and Goddesses. Respect for religious sentiments, need to maintain peace and harmony should also be part of the agenda of an artist -- if he is great. If it is absent then he cannot say that he respects
Let’s face it -- he is a fugitive of law. Age and religion are immaterial. What does the media want -- that he be absolved by the courts? Even for that he has to appear in the courts -- he cannot run away. After all this is the country where he lived and gave expression to his pervert sadist, erotic artistic mind under Freedom of Expression. I simply cannot jump onto the bandwagon of the elite ‘secularist’ and uphold what he had done. With his brush he had committed jihad -- bloodletting.
The issue is just not nudity -- Yes the temples, the frescos in Konarak and Kajhuraho have nude figures. But does it say that they are Sita, Sarswati or any goddesses? We have the Yoni and the Phallus as sacred signs of Life-of Siva and Shakthi -- take these icons to the streets, paint them -- give it a caption it becomes vulgar. Times have changed. Even granted that our ancients sculptured and painted naked forms and figures, with a pervert mind to demean religion is no license to repeat that in today’s changed political and social scenario and is not a sign of secularism and tolerance. I repeat there is no quarrel with nudity -- painters have time and again found in it the perfection of God’s handicraft.
Let me wish Hussain peace in
I hope you will read this in the same spirit that I have written. All the best to you Ram.
Dr Mrs Hilda Raja
Vadodara
IF THIS IS NOT ACCURATE, THEN NOTHING IS?
Letter to 'The Hindu'
Monday, March 15, 2010
Letter to 'The Hindu'
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