F.M. Husain- Global Painter whom India Betrayed!

-DR. ABDUL RUFF

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Greatness is defined in India  by using differing yardsticks. One of the world's most celebrated artists, F.M. Husain who popularized modern art in India and put Indian paintings on world map is no more. The international fame Husain who took  the world by shock  as much by his taking refuge in Qatar as his sudden death in UK was admitted only two days ago in Royal Brompton Hospital London for fluid retention in his lungs had otherwise been in fairly good health.  They say he suffered a heart attack in the hospital. His last rites would be conducted in London and not in India. His sons and daughter were with him when he died.

This eminent painter Maqbool Fida Husain was born in Pandharpur, Madhya Pradesh, Sep 17, 1915. After dedicating his entire life in the service of India, MF Husain had been in exile since 2006, when he was attacked by rightist groups angry with his portrayal of Hindu deities. Last year, he was offered Qatari citizenship. But his heart remained in India, and in interviews, spoke fondly of what this country meant to him.

Committed to art and truth  MF Husain earned fame and controversy over his brilliant paintings. At 95,  Husain, India's best known contemporary painter  was active and had lots of painting left in him. And he died in exile, unhappy with the way his home country had treated him. Semi-nude paintings are common in Indian temple structures. Husain left India after his paintings of Hindu gods in the nude triggered attacks on his works by rightwing fanatic Hindu organisations who deliberately boycotted him but Indian regime failed, or refused, to  protect him. The 2008 Indian Art Fair in Delhi had the works of 300 artists but not Husain's.

India cannot tolerate criticism of Indian system by a Muslims. A large number of books get published in India, hundreds of films get made and galleries hold many exhibitions without incident. But artists like Husain inhabit speech at the edge of acceptability, speech that challenges conventional thought.

Toward the end of his life, under severe pressure from all quarters- both state and  private- Husain had trouble finding galleries willing to show his work and where he managed he had face ruthless Indian vandalism. He lived in Dubai, Doha or London for most of the last two decades because he couldn't paint in peace in his own country. Husain for all his contribution to Indian art was forced to flee after law was misused by Indian Hindu fanatics with tacit state support.Indian courts often throw such art cases out but in Husain's case they sided with Hindu fanatics.However, the Supreme Court ruled in Husain's favor.

But the court judgments did not stem the tide of vitriol. As the most celebrated Indian artist, Husain had been one of the strongest possibles for the Bharatratna award but the Hindu fanatics wanted to stop that.  Vigilantes continued to file cases against him, attacked his works and damaged the studio of a television network that polled its readers on whether Husain should be given India's highest civilian honor.Exasperated by the lack of support from the Indian state and the continued harassment—both physical and legal—Husain gave up. . .

An artist with weaker convictions would have stopped painting altogether, but Husain continued to portray the many colors of this pluralist democracy. Besides painting creations, Husain also took intense fascination for film making. In recognition of his  international status, Husain had been offered Qatari citizenship in 2010. His life & work in India and his end abroad is yet   another example of how Muslims in India could be treated if they do play only pro-India games as foreign cricketers do. Husain’s contribution has been ignored by criminal Indians who harassed him because he used his art to express himself but the Hindu fanatics found him a problem  because he exposed hypocrisy in Hindu faith artistically and forced him seek shelter in a Muslim nations.

A bold artist Husain always insisted on truthfulness in art creativity, faced a lot of opposition from the Hindu fanatics and extremist Hindu terrorists even threatened to kill him. He exceedingly faced acute problems in attending functions and exhibiting his paintings and his appeal to government clearly failed to invite its attention to come to his rescue. Indian electronic media and TV channels paraded Hindu fanatics to condemn Husain while the Indian regime deliberately avoided the issue altogether and decided not to call Husain back to his country from Qatar. 

Would Indian Sonia-Manmohan-MadamPratibha led "progressive" regime have behaved in similar manner forcing  him to leave his country had a Hindu artist painted the same? Obviously not. There would have been patch up efforts by the regime and Indian "civilized" society to help India's greatest artist resume his creative endeavor.  There is no need for a crash course on history of arrival of Indian gods and goddesses, but  these goddesses had come into existence when Hindus had not even entered the "pants" culture. In offending Indian's greatest artist in the worst manner, India has very skillfully removed Husain from the Bharatratna prize list-  what a small nationhood and what a shame!  

India is known for  its pseudo patriotism and flawed anti-Muslim sentiments and has betrayed  Muslims in all walks of life. Now this great nation has betrayed even its own greatest artist son MF Husain because he was a Muslim. Created by Indian imagination, Indian goddesses, as portrayed by Hindus, are either charming or ugly. That is funny. But Indians argue that Husian has not right to criticise fake beliefs!

Art has always been the subject of controversy because it generally depicts truth which annoys many who love falsehood and prefer hypocrisy.  Indians felt proud of Husain when his paintings  provided  good news and feel good factor for  the fanatics. MF Husain was a friendly human with the high  quality of humor and humility, who preferred to walk barefoot.  Similarly, Husain is too transparent in his thoughts painted in colors!

However, this globally renowned artist has died an unhappy man. That is the true nature of Indian "secularism" and "tolerance" and the plight of creative Muslims in India who refuse to glorify Hinduism and Hindutva in the name of promoting Indian greatness. It is a case of betrayal of a Muslim genius by the complex Hindu majority. India is guilty!