Thackeray won’t spare M F Husain

Thackeray began his speech by addressing his “Hindu mothers and sisters”, and went on to speak of Bhalji Pendharkar, who he said was a staunch Savarkarvadi’. Raising Hindutva consciousness was the need of the hour, he said.

Later, talking about the the plight of the Marathi film industry, he said Bhalji Pendharkar made his films keepingHindutva’ in mind.

Marathi cinema is in the state it is in precisely because this notion has been disregarded, he observed.

Earlier in the day, the 26 Bajrang Dal activists who were arrested by the police in connection with ransacking celebrated painter M F Husain’s Cuffe Parade apartment in South Mumbai on Friday were released by a holiday court.

Holiday court metropolitan magistrate V V Palnekar released the activists on personal bond of Rs 1,000 each. They were charged with trespass and unlawful activity.

The Bajrang Dal activists from the Goregaon Zilla were protesting against the controversial painting Sita Rescued which shows Hindu god Hanuman and goddess Sita in the nude. The painting recreates the scene of Sita’s rescue described in the Ramayana, as perceived by the artist.

The protestors broke tube-lights, tore down some paintings and smashed glassware in the house. They also voiced protest against the artist spreading fear among residents of the area.

The Cuffe Parade Police havetightened security around Husain’s house. While an officer and a constable have been posted outside his residence, a mobile patrol van has been stationed outside the building premises.

Meanwhile, the Congress today condemned the ransacking of Husain’s house. “The attack on Husain’s house has once again unveiled the fascist face’ of the Sangh Parivar. The activities have once again demonstrated their utter contempt for the norms of civilised behaviour,” a party spokesman stated.

Brihanmumbai Youth Congress president Charan Singh Sapra said, “While I do not agree with Husain’s depiction of Sita, there are other ways of protesting than violence. The Bajrang Dal has resorted to the destructive mode merely to gain front-page publicity, in which they succeeded. But if Mahatma Gandhi could drive the British out of India through non-violent satyagrahas, then does it take much more to persuade Husain to change his interpretations of Indian goddesses?” he queried.