SURAT, INDIA, January 30, 2004: A day after the VHP and Bajrang Dal workers allegedly vandalized paintings of MF Hussain and others at an exhibition in Surat claiming that “they displayed utter dishonor towards Goddess Durga,” the renowned painter on Friday said the Durga painting was not done by him. “The painting was the work of a known painter of Bengal, Chitrbhanu Majumdar and is not mine,” Hussain said. Other paintings which they tried to destroy belonged to well known artist late NS Bhendre, Hussain said, adding the paintings were later recovered by police.
Other news reports say the three dozen paintings were damaged by vandals on January 29 at the Garden Gallery of Art and Textiles. Local VHP chief Vinu Nigada said they were protesting against nudity. “We have no objection if the gallery is reopened, provided such objectionable paintings are not displayed.”
A incident recently occurred in Europe (reported here) in which the Israeli ambassador to Sweden, Zvi Mazel, vandalized an exhibit depicting an Palestinian suicide bomber on January 16, 2004.
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