M.F. Husain Issue – My Views

Qatar offers citizenship to M.F. Husain.

I honestly don’t think this qualifies as a major headline, but there it was. I read the headline, scanned through the article and moved on.

The next thing I see is blog updates with the news item and everyone commenting on the news. It was all over BUZZ, people leaving comments on the TOI site. For a second, I thought this would become the leading Trend Topic on Twitter!

Just couldn’t figure out WHY? How does this concern ANYONE other than M.F. Husain?

How does this even qualify for a discussion? People saying - no he shouldn't take it OR no.. he shouldn't be given the option for Dual Citizenship OR we are not happy with so and so thing happening.

Some of the comments were really confusing. These comments went something like – “Good. We don’t need an Indian like him. I would be happy if he is no longer an Indian. India doesn’t need him. But why is Qatar offering him a citizenship? Would they tolerate if he did so and so”.

So you don’t want him to have any nationality at all? Ok.

• Would that stop him from painting?
• Would you no longer be offended by his work if he didn’t have a nationality?
• Would his views / comments / art be less offensive if he was stateless?

Please tell me how does his nationality have any effect on your disapproval / appreciation for his work? Would his controversial paintings offend you less, if he wasn’t an Indian? Would you appreciate his art work more, if he belonged to another nationality?

It's not like the fans would love his paintings more if he was an Indian or a Qatari or both. For the people who don't approve of his work / views - it's not like they would disapprove any less or any more if he was an Indian or a Qatari or both.

The point is - you will like his work or hate his work or disapprove his work or appreciate his work - REGARDLESS of his nationality.

To faaltu mein itni bakwaas karne ki kya zaroorat hai?

Dikhaawon pe mat jaao…. Apni akal ladaao.