Last days of life.

Dear Sir,

The art legend Maqbool Fida Hussain is not dependance or required for any type of introduction.  He created his own icon as far as Art and painting is concerned.  He got fame, wealth and honor in the field of Art and culture.

Indifferent to both religion and politics, Husain a Muslim by upbringing, treated the gods and goddesses of Hinduism as visual stimuli rather than deities, depicting them unclothed and often in sexually suggestive poses. This earned him the bitter hatred of Hindu Hardliner groups,  basically terrorists Bajrag dal, VHP and RSS, which beginning in the 1990s mounted a campaign of intimidation and violence against him.  The paintings in question were created in 1970, but did not become an issue until 1996, when they were printed in Vichar Mimansa, a Hindi monthly magazine, which published them in an article headlined "M.F. Husain: A Painter or Butcher".   In response, eight criminal complaints were filed against him.

Husain, who left the India in 2006 after death threats from Hindu radicals over his nude paintings of Indian deities.  He chose to live in exile due to serious opposition he faced by Hindu Fanatics.  For Hussain it is not absolute freedom of speech and expression.  Indian Government is also responsible for Hussain exile and to live in foreign land and gave up his sole in foreign country.  Is it the slap of Hussain on the face of Indian Government, Fanatics Hindus and Administration that he batter to called a citizen of Qatar rather an Indian. It is a big question mark for Indian Government on the act of Hussain,  whether the expression and freedom of speech is absolute in India.

In fact Hussain has been given more trouble because of his religion and basically for his painting which were against Hindu deities.  How the Bajrang Dal, VHP, RSS can tolerate a Muslim will insult their God and Godess.  Even Salman Rushdee, Tasleema Nasreen written books which insult Islam.  But Modern Hitler Narendra Modi the Chief Minister of Gujarat asked Tasleema to rest in Gujarat he will bear her all expenses.  At that time in Gujarat, Maharashtra a campaign was in progress to throw out Bangladeshis and Pakistanis from Indian soil.  I would like to ask some question with Modern Hitler who is Tasleema she is not Indian, why this Bangala love to Tasleema only why not other Bangladeshis.  Gujarat State police wanted to wipe out all Bangladeshis from Gujarat soil.  If freedom of expression was absolute for Tasleema, Rashdee & Fanatic Hindu Group supported to them then why not Hussain.

I can remember the incident the revolt of 1857 against the British Government and afterwords atrocities on Last Mughal Monarch  Bahadur Shah Zafar which starts from 21^st Sept. 1857.  Revolt was suppressed by Britishers and Zafar was captured by the British on 21^st Sept. 1857, and sent him to the Rangoon as a Punishment “Kalapani”.  Before his death he wrote an article “Do Gaz Zamin nahee milee ko-e-yaar me”. This episode of Zafar is matched with Hussain last days of life, in some sort.  Zafar was captured by British Administration and Hussain was about to capture by the police after filling the several litigations and life threat by fanatic Hindus against him.  Zafar was sent to Ragoon as a punishment, Hussain was assigned punishment by Fanatic Hinud Groups and forced him to live in exile after facing humiliation, demonstration and life threats from Fanatics, the Dictators and power makers of Indian society.     

Now only difference in Zafar and Hussain life in the last days, that Zafar lived in prison without any powers, but after given up Indian citizenship  and adopted the citizenship of Qatar Hussain remains with full of liberty and enjoyed the pleasure life with so many painting was created by him in Qatar.  And given slap to India and its democratic system that Indian Authority could not care for the Diamond of Art.

Ultimately, Hussain a King, legend of painting died on 9^th June 2011 and India lost a diamond.  Now people will remember Hussain as the citizen of Qatar and not the citizen of India. That is a shame for India.

Thanking you,

Zuber Ahmed Khan