The Pakistani Spectator

India claims to be a secular country but it is pursuing an entirely different policy with regard to Indian Muslims while a separate yardstick is being used for the rest of the Indian population. No doubt, the Muslims who have betrayed their fellow community fall in the second group. We have an interesting case that popped up recently in the Indian media; the barbaric treatment of renowned 95 years old painter Maqbool Fida Hussain at the hands of Hindus. Despite the fact that Maqbool was a cultural icon but he was not welcome in his own country. Resultantly, Maqbool had to flee to London in 2006 and since then is moving between London and Dubai. It might surprise many but it was Indian Embassy Dubai which managed to convince Qatar to grant him Qatari nationality. In fact, the Hindus got against Maqbool Fida Hussain due to his painting of nude Hindu deities which hurt their religious sentiments. There is no doubt that it is forbidden in Islam to insult the gods of other religions and hurt their sentiments. In this context, the issue has been exclusively covered in the holy Qura’an and it is compulsory for every Muslim to not to insult gods of other religions, irrespective of the fact that they are not Allah the almighty. Obviously the painting of Maqbool led to hate campaign against him.

Every single day passed by Maqbool Fida Hussain in exile is a shame for Indian secularism and all such countries that support terrorist, outlaws and fifth columnists, who revolt against their own country. It is irony that when such people adopt evil course and violate country’s law they are supported by so called democratic and secular countries but when the same people challenge the interests of supporting countries, a different course of policy is followed against them. In the case of Maqbool, he has not only hurt the sentiments of Hindu majority but also violated Islamic law and code of ethics of civilized society. Where the rights of minorities are protected in many countries, the rights of majority should not be allowed to violate. It is duty of every civilized nation of the world not to support people who serve interests of fifth columnists and try to disturb the communal harmony of the society.

Maqbool Fida Hussain is no more an Indian national as by taking up Qatari nationality his Indian nationality ceased; this is what Indian constitution says. Still, one must say that it is not fair to call Maqbool a controversial painter as he violated ethics of Indian and Islamic societies. There can be no room for controversy in acts which hurts religious sentiments of the others. It is below ethics. How we can be asked to follow any other rule of law when violation of divine laws is not considered a crime? One wonders, why violation of traffic rules or Indian Code of Criminal Procedure are not considered as controversial and the violators are allowed to flee to other countries?. If some one can be put behind the bars or put on gallows for the violation of man made law, why divine laws are not given any due respect? It is true that people like Maqbool Fida Hussain are born in centuries but should he be placed above law. At least, if pardoned, there should be a word for sorry and undertaking not to repeat such acts again. Paintings depicting Hindu goddesses in the nude are otherwise below ethics and should be crime in civilized society.

It needs to be analyzed that when Sangh Parivar and other Hindu outfits targeted Maqbool Fida Hussain, the political leaders, intellectuals and artists in India kept silent but when the media has given extensive coverage to Maqbool, some circles in India are asking him to return to India. Maqbool claims that India’s continuing governments could not protect him so it is very difficult for him to stay in such a country. Maqbool grievances are genuine when he claims that there was no one to speak for him when he was in exile but when he has accepted Qatari citizenship, he is being asked to come back. One wonders how India can allow him to retain his Indian nationality when he has already accepted a foreign nationality. The Constitution of India does not allow holding Indian citizenship and citizenship of a foreign country simultaneously Overseas Now all that Maqbool can get is Citizenship of India (OCI) which restrict him from having an Indian passport, voting rights, government post or contest elections. There is no doubt that art is an essential elements of any civilization but when it crosses the limits of ethics, it is no more an art and more or less a curse for a civilized society..