Government committee recommends strict action against M F Hussain

Wednesday, February 7, 2007 (City):

A Delhi government committee has recommended strict action against M F Hussain for painting what they term as obscene paintings of goddesses in the nude.

On Wednesday a Delhi court also reprimanded the police for not filing a chargesheet against Hussain in time.

It’s a case that has been opposed by many of India’s prominent artists and citizens.

This is not the first time Husain is in court since there are cases registered against him for obscenity.

Finally last year he approached the HC seeking a transfer of all these cases to Delhi. The apex court ordered this case to be heard at Patiala house.

"Police is deliberately trying to delay the entire case," said Aslam Kumar, Counsel for petitioner.

The delay is more surprising since the Delhi government screening committee comprising top officials said action should be taken against Hussain for his alleged offensive depiction of Hindu goddesses.

Prompting enmity

According to the minutes of the committee’s meeting, exclusively available to NDTV, members said Husain did not enjoy the artistic freedom to hurt the feelings of a religious community.

In addition to cases for promoting enmity between groups and obscenity cases should also be made out under the indecent representation of women prohibitionary act 1986 and the IT act, the committee members had said.

But though the committee gave its recommendation in writing the Delhi police did not file a charge sheet for nearly a year. Now the court has ordered them to file the charge sheet by Monday.

Quite oblivious to all this the man in question, M F Hussain, continues to remain in London amid all the outrage over his paintings of Hindu goddesses.

The government has clearly indicated that action should be taken. But the manner in which the case has been proceeding shows that it may be a while before any action is taken against Hussain who has a way of getting into controversies.

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