An Assam based painter invites brickbats from various organizations for his artworks where he has painted the Indian national flag in poor light. Moreover the same artist Akram Hussain faces condemnation for painting Lord Krishna with semi nude modern girls. Both the artworks were displayed in a group show at State Art Gallery, Guwahati.
All India Patriotic Forum’s Assam unit, in a statement issued to the media, cries foul with a painting by Hussain where he symbolically drew an unfurled tri-colour pouring many objectionable items like hard-drink bottles, woman’s under wears etc. The forum terms the act an offence to hurt the sentiments of millions of patriots who admire the sacrifice of India’s freedom fighters saluting the national flag. “The artist has the freedom to visualize their imagination through the creations should not cross the limit. In any case, our tri-colour must not be dishonoured. It’s a crime,” said Rupam Barua, president of Assam branch of national patriotic forum.
It may be mentioned that under the ‘Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act 1971’, whoever in any public place or in any other place within public view burns, mutilates, defaces, defiles, disfigures, destroys, tramples upon or otherwise shows disrespect to the national flag is punishable.
The term Indian national flag includes any picture, painting, drawing or photograph, or other visible representation of the tri-colour, or of any part or parts thereof, made of any substance or represented on any substance, added the statement.
The Patriotic People’s Front, Assam Public Works, Journalists’ Forum Assam etc also decried the attitude of the painter to dare to insult the tri-colour and urged the authority to take proper actions against the painter immediately.
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