Sena activists attack MF Husain's Delhi art show

New Delhi: Shiv Sena activists attacked an exhibition of acclaimed painter MF Husain's works in the Capital on Thursday at the art gallery of the India International Centre.

The Sena men managed to enter the venue in the guise of visitors despite heavy police presence and prior information that Shiv Sainiks were planning to attack the exhibition.

They shouted slogans against the artist and damaged the frames of two paintings. One of the damaged paintings depicted Emperor Akbar and was priced at Rs 1.5 lakh. There was minor damage to the second painting as the police overpowered them when they tried to damage it.

The activists shouted slogans like 'Balasaheb (Bal Thackeray) Zindabad', 'Shiv Sena Zindabad' and 'MF Husain Murdabad' and distributed pamphlets which threatened to disrupt any exhibition of Husain in the country. They were later taken to the police station.

The activists had earlier forced the organisers to close down the show for a day on December 21 for Husain's alleged obscene portrayal of Hindu Goddesses.

An exhibition had, however, resumed on December 22 defying threats from Hindutva organisations. The IIC and exhibition sponsor Dolly Narang had received numerous threat calls, SMSes and letters from Hindu activists in Delhi, Mumbai and Pune — including the Bajrang Dal — asking them to stop the exhibition.

But the IIC Board of Directors and Narang later decided to go ahead with the show amid tight security. The exhibition, titled 'India in the Era of Mughals', reopened on December 22 and it was going on smoothly till Thursday afternoon.

20 graphical prints of Husain's paintings — which are permanently housed at Fida Museum in London — are on display at the show. These works have been described as a tribute to the history of Indian cinema.

The 92-year-old artist, described by Forbes Magazine as the 'Pablo Picasso of India', is currently in self-exile in Dubai after a series of protests against him for his depiction of Hindu Goddesses. This was the first major exhibition of Husain's works in Delhi after a gap of about 20 years.

The exhibition was to conclude on Friday.

(With agency inputs)