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Husain: Drawing, painting, water colour, graphic, sculpture, architecture, photography,
tapestry
By Daniel Alan Herwitz
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY
FOREWORD
Russi Mody
From its cover, the book by Daniel Alan Herwitz looks like a regular art book. The book has prints of paintings chosen by the painter himself. It has a commentary text written by Dr Daniel Herwitz of California State University and a preface by Russi Mody, the then chairman of Tata Steel, a private sector company in India. However, the book itself contains blasphemous pictures of Hindu deities shown in the nude in various compromising positions that would hurt the sentiment of not only Hindus, but also of every seeker of God following any faith. The nudity involves Hindu deities like Lord Hanuman, Goddess Durga and Goddess Sita.
Campaign Highlights
> Sanatan Sanstha's protest campaign against M. F. Husain’s denigrating paintings commences on 13 November 2005. Sanatan Sanstha urges everyone to protest against these paintings by legitimate, peaceful means
> The campaign gathers overwhelming support worldwide, with over 28,000 protest signatories in online signature campaign alone
> Mass awakening among Hindus
> Over 1250 police complaints against M.F. Husain in India
> Over 150 public protests like Demonstrations, Protest Marches, Burning of Hussain's effigies.
> 6 Protest Press Conferences by Sanatan Sanstha and Hindu Janjagruti Samiti's
> Court issued summons and warrants against Husain in 6 court cases since Mar-06
> Active support from over 250 protestors from online signature campaign
> Hindus take initiative to carry out protests outside India -outside Christies auction house in New York (30-Mar-06)and outside Indian consulate in Washington DC (2-Jun-06)Husain protest campaign rapidly spreads across the Internet via email forwards, blogs and word of mouth
> The protest campaign continues to spread via news media, radio shows, email forwards, blogs and word of mouth
(Note: The above statistics are based on the information we have on record, hence, lower than the actual statistics)
> Political parties join in the protest as the campaign gains momentum with the national and worldwide media
> Shivsena and BJP bring up the M. F. Husain issue in various legislative bodies of the Indian parliament
> Bajrangdal burns Husain effigy
> VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad) chief to file criminal case against Husain
> Husain’s obstinate stand of continuing the display and sale of his denigrating paintings and the Indian government's apathy this issue sorely tries the patience of Hindus, who are now set for a violent turn: Rs. 101 crore (US $20 m) and other monetary rewards are being announced for killing or maiming Husain.
Latest News
The M. F. Husain paintings protest campaign is increasingly in the news. Here is recent news on the campaign:
> M F Husain, Shyam Benegal, conferred doctorate by Jamia – Zee News.com, 31 October 2007
> HJS stops agitation after written assurance – Hindujagruti.org, 29 October 2007
> Greatest auction of paintings, including anti-Hindu Husain's paintings, in Mumbai – Hindujagruti.org, 26 October 2007
> Display of Banners at Marine Lines glorifying Husain! – Hindujagruti.org, 20 October 2007
> M F Husain's Female Nude auction in London – Hindujagruti.org, 14 October 2007
> NCERT text on M F Husain challenged – Chennai Online News Service, 23 September 2007
> Husain's work tops Sotheby's Indian sale – The Economic Times, 23 September 2007
> Ravi Varma award: VHP seeks Kerala minister's resignation – The Economic Times, 13 September 2007
> 'Suffering of Hindus in Bangladesh' Exhibition held in Houston – Hindujagruti.org, 11 September 2007
> Kerala HC stays Raja Ravi Varma award to M.F Husain – DNA news, 12 September 2007
> Does Sachin Tendulkar respect MF Husain more than Hindu Deities? – Hindujagruti.org, 10 September 2007
> Resistance to confer 'Raja Ravi Varma' award to M F Husain – Hindujagruti.org, 08 September 2007
> Stop M.F. Husain to enter in Kerala: KSS asked govt. – Haindava Keralam, 7 September 2007
> Case against Husain transferred to Delhi court – MSN NEWS, 5 September 2007
> M F Husain wants to come back home – Times of India, 29th August 2007
> Protest against Banyan for auction of Husain's painting – Hindujagruti.org, 25 August 2007
> Kalam's pen, Husain's brush for mentally-challenged women – tophealthnews.com, 25 August 2007
> If Hussains' picture put again, we will strongly oppose! – Hindujagruti.org, 23 August 2007
> Withdraw award for Hussain: Hindu Aikya Vedi – The Hindu, 22 August, 2007
> Protest Tharoor's latest concern for Husain – Hindujagruti.org, 5 August 2007
> M F Husain's paintings put Nafisa Ali in dock – Expressindia.com, 03 July 2007
> HJS demands cancellation of Ravi Varma Award to M.F Husain – Hindujagruti.org, 12 June 2007
> Shashi Tharoor backs Husain – Hindujagruti.org, 11 June 2007
> Guilty Husain's lame excuse! – Hindujagruti.org, 10 June 2007
> HJS Protests Husain and Tyeb at Saffronart's auction – Hindujagruti.org, 8 June 2007
> Shah Rukh Khan to paint with M.F Hussain – Hindujagruti.org, 31 May 2007
> ABN Amro withdraws card with MF Hussain's art, Apologises – Hindujagruti.org, 23 May 2007
> MF Hussain's Bharatmata Painting with Mumbai Police! – OutlookIndia.com, 21 May 2007
> HJS demands cancellation of Ravi Varma Award to Husain – Hindujagruti.org, 14 May 2007
> Honour to Hussain: BJP flays Kerala govt – Sify News, 14 May 2007
> M.F. Hussain selected for Raja Ravi Varma Award – ZEENews.COM, 14 May 2007
> Supreme Court suspends order against Husain – India e News, 08 May 2007
> M.F. Husain loses home over nude 'Mother India' – Expressindia.com, 07 May 2007
> Police attach M.F. Husain's property in Mumbai – The Hindu, 06 May 2007
> Protest Credit card with M.F. Husain's art – Hindujagruti.org, 01 May 2007
> M.F. Husain's paintings exhibition protested by USA Hindus – Hindujagruti.org, 27 March 2007
> USA Hindus strongly protest M.F. Husain – Hindujagruti.org, 23 March 2007
> Protest against M.F. Husain – Press Trust of India, 7 March 2007
> Tharoor to praise Husain:HJS protests – Hindujagruti, 6 March 2007
> Arrogant reply to HJS protest of Husain's Dubai exhibition – Hindujagruti.org, 3 March 2007
> HJS protest: UTI bank cancels Husain's exhibition! – Hindujagruti.org, 1 March 2007
> Husain exempted of court appearance – Press Trust of India, 1 March 2007
> Back home in a week: M.F.Husain – news.yahoo.com, 28 Feb 2007
> Anti-Hindu M.F. Husain's show at Dubai – Hindujagruti.org, 23 Feb 2007
> Husain's painting case: investigations to be transferred – Hindujagruti.org, 23 Feb 2007
> Husain lands Delhi cops in trouble – Ibnlive.com, India, 13 Feb 2007
> Court rap for Husain probe delay – The Telegraph, Calcutta, India, 8 Feb 2007
> Government committee recommends strict action against M F Husain – Hindujagruti.org, 08 Feb 2007
> M.F. Husain paints billboard for anti-terror drive – Hindujagruti.org, 08 Feb 2007
> Husain paintings: Police to file final report – Times of India, New Delhi, India, 4 Feb 2007
> M. F. Husain's paintings withdrawn from exhibition in Jaipur, India after protests by HJS & VHP - Hindujagruti.org, 11 Jan. 2007.
> Police to submit investigation report on M. F. Husain's paintings - NK India News, 5 Jan 2007.
> India-Forum: “M. F. Husain's paintings ridicule metaphors held sacred by Hindus.” – USA, 4 Nov 2006.
> Court orders probe into M. F. Hussain's paintings – (ZEENEWS.com), New Delhi, India, 3 Sept 2006
> Police affidavit says case filed against M. F. Hussain India–Cybernoon, Mumbai, India, 25 July 2006–Mumbai, India
> HC disposes of petition against M. F. Hussain -The Hindu, Chennai, India, 25 July 2006 India
> Supreme Court stays Bhopal court's summons to M. F. Hussain -The Hindu, Chennai, India, 25 July 2006 Chennai India
> Website of Hindu Human Rights (who helped shut down the offensive exhibition of M. F. Husain in London, UK), blocked by Indian government–Organiser, 30 July 2006
> M. F. Husain’s denigrating painting of Lord Ganesh fetches Rs. 13 million in Delhi auction–Indianews.com, 21 Jul 2006
> 32 complaints filed against M. F. Husain in Goa, India–Zee News.Com, 10 July 2006
> Court issues notices to MF Hussain, Nafisa Ali.–Hindustan Times
> M. F. Husain barred from Bharat Bhavan–NDTV.com, Bhopal, India, 28 Jun 2006
> Hindus protest in UK against M. F. Husain’s denigrating art exhibition–The Organiser, 25 Jun 2006
> Silent demonstration against government inaction in Hindu protests against denigration by M. F. Husain–sahilonline.org, 22 Jun 2006
> Hindu Janajagruti Samiti protests against re-opening of M. F. Husain's exhibition closed after protests–Hindujagruti.org, 8 Jun 2006
> Hindus stage protests against M. F. Husain’s paintings’outside Embassy of India, Washington, DC–Sanatan.org, 2 Jun 2006
> Some Hindus in London rally for re-opening M. F. Husain's exhibition closed after protests – AsiansinMedia.org, 30 May 2006
> Vandals close exhibition. – telegraph.co.uk, 29 May 2006
> M. F. Husain's exhibition in London closed, following protests from Hindu groups in UK –CNN-IBN, India, 22 May 2006
> Hindus and Sanatan.org to hold protests outside Embassy of India, Washington DC against inaction of Indian Government in M. F. Husain issue–Sanatan.org, 16 May 2006
> Hindu Human Rights to hold protests outside Asia House Gallery in London against M. F. Husain’s paintings. – Sanatan.org, 15 May 2006
> Nudity is a form of innocence, says M. F. Husain. – Sify.com, 13 May 2006
> Indian art auctions by SaffronArt, Christie’s, Sotheby’s in May 2006 with M. F. Husain’s works among top bids–Yahoo.com, 12 May 2006
> SC stays bailable warrant against M. F. Husain–Sify.com, 12 May 2006
> Protests staged by HJS against Husain's paintings at Saffronart gallery–newKerala.com, 10 May 2006
> First solo exhibition of M. F. Husain opens in London–newKerala.com, 10 May 2006
> HC directive to MF Husain on nude paintings–Hindustan Times, 2 May 2006
> Sotheby’s to feature M. F. Husain’s paintings in a high priced auction in London on 23 May–1 May 2006
> SaffronArt to feature M. F. Husain’s paintings in Summer 2006 Online Auction -newKerala, 21 Apr 2006
> M. F. Husain’s painting highest grosser at Singapore art auction -Daily Sanatan Prabhat, 22 Apr 2006
> Hon. Court of Bhopal summons M. F. Husain and Nafisa Ali for portraying Hindu Deities in the nude and auctioning those paintings -Daily Sanatan Prabhat, 20 Apr 2006
> M. F. Husain’s paintings to feature at Singapore art auction -DailyIndia.com, 30 Mar 2006
> Hon. Court finds M. F. Husain guilty of hurting Hindus -Financial Express, Mumbai, India, 30 Mar 2006
> M. F. Husain and India Today Editor summoned by Pandharpur Court -Daily Sanatan Prabhat, 30 Mar 2006
> Indian art goes for millions amidst protests to Husain’s paintings in front of Christie’s -CNN-IBN, India, 30 Mar 2006
> Indian art up for grabs in New York–CNN-IBN, India, 24 Mar 2006
> Court issues warrant against M. F. Husain–The Times of India, 22 Mar 2006
> Sainiks parade nude effigy of MF Husain–DNA, 20 Mar 2006
> Public distribution and posting of flyers depicting Husain in the nude, in Karnataka–20 Mar 2006
> “File a case against Husain for treason and hurting religious sentiments!”demands the Farmers Association, Satara (Maharashtra)–PTI, 18 Mar 2006
> Hindu Janjagruti Samiti (link to HJS) delegates meet Maharashtra Governor on Husain issue -Daily Sanatan Prabhat, 14 Mar 2006
> Rs. 50,000 for chopping off M F Husain’s hands–SIFY, 6 Mar 2006
> Court issues summons to M. F. Husain -The Hindu, 28 Feb 2006> Shiv Sena leader announces bounty for chopping off MF Hussain’s hand–newKerala, 26 Feb 2006
> A Muslim social worker moves court against M F Hussain -The Hindu, 25 Feb 2006
> Hindu body offers Rs. 51 cr for killing M F Husain–SIFY, 23 Feb 2006
> Hindu Swabhimaan Sena ransack Husain show–CNN-IBN, 13 Feb 2006
> Public deception:Hussain's painting of nude Bharatmata (Mother India) drew the highest bids (Rs. 80 lakh - approximately US $180,000) in auction!–CNN-IBN, 13 Feb 2006
> Husain booked by Indian police -Indianews.net, 7 Feb 2006
> Husain apologises for paintings -Rediff.com, 7 Feb 2006
> Husain’s derogatory painting of Bharatmata pulled out from charitable auction; no bids on his other paintings -Times of India , 7 Feb 2006
> People call the curator of Apparao Galleries in Delhi to withdraw painting from auction -Telegraph8 Feb 2006