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NRIs protest Husain's paintings' auction
An NRI group in New York protests against Christie's decision to go ahead with paintings' sale of the noted artiste, whom they accuse of depicting Hindu dieties in a derogatory and vulgar form.
An Indian-American group on Wednesday held a noisy demonstration outside Christie's protesting its decision to go ahead with the sale of paintings of noted artiste MF Husain whom they accused of depicting Hindu gods and goddesses in a "derogatory and vulgar" form.
Supporters of the Indian American Intellectual forum held the protest in front of the international auction house demanding withdrawal the works of noted artiste from an upcoming auction.
The auction of Husain's paintings, they said amounted to the Christie's abetting and aiding hate crime against one billion Hindus worldwide.
"Husain's paintings amount to hate speech against Hindus," "Shame on Husain," and "Husain Fugitive from Law," read some of the placard carried by the protesters during the two-hour demonstration in which Hindu Janjagruti Samiti also joined.
The demonstration was held outside Christie's headquarters here as it was auctioning Husain's paintings as a part of auction of South Asian Modern and Contemporary Art.
Earlier, the auction house had rejected the demand of the Forum to withdraw Husain's paintings off the auction.
"Art and culture embraces multiple interpretations and re-interpretations of religious and ethnic symbols that are often highly individual expressions," Christie's spokesperson Sara Fox had said.
