New Delhi: A PIL was on Friday moved in the
Supreme Court seeking a direction to the Centre for withdrawal
of all criminal cases lodged against 95-year-old artist M F
Hussain and ensuring his return to the country.
The PIL by Bhim Singh, a member of National Integration
Council and former MP, claimed Hussain's fundamental rights
stood violated as he was unable to return to the country due
the 900-odd cases slapped against him for his alleged
blashephmeous paintings of Hindu Gods and Goddesses.
Hussain, in self-imposed exile outside India since 2006,
was recently conferred citizenship by Qatar.
The PIL said Hussain, who enjoys an iconic status,
travels freely accross the world except India where "he faces
legal harassment and physical threat, with the system impotent
and not committed to enabling his return."
According to Hussain's estimates, there are 900 cases
against him in various courts of India.
However, the PIL citing media reports said there were 95
cases registered in different parts of the country by "the
persons associated with the same political party."
The PIL recalled an earlier Supreme Court observation in
connection with one of the cases against Hussain that no
exception should be taken to such artistic expressions.
"Does the sentiment of the petitioner get scandalised by
the large number of photographs of erotic sculptures which are
in circulation?," the PIL quoted an earlier purported
observation of the apex court during the hearing of a criminal
case against Hussain.
"While being a rare honour, Mr Hussain's impending change
of nationality brings to a close one of the sorriest chapters
in independent India's secular history," the PIL said.
"I know no one more genuinely and deeply committed to the
composite, multi-religious, and secular values of Indian
civilisation than M F Hussain. He breathes the spirit of
modernity, progress and tolerance," Singh in his petition
claimed.
PTI
First Published: Friday, February 26, 2010, 23:09