Supreme Court offers relief to MF Husain

Noted painter MF Husain today got a major relief from the Supreme Court, which refused to initiate criminal proceedings against him for allegedly hurting public sentiments through some of his paintings that were dubbed as obscene.

“There are many such pictures, paintings and sculptures and some of them are in temples also,” a Bench headed by Chief Justice KG Balakrishnan said, dismissing one such petition.

The Bench, also comprising Justices P Sathasivam and JM Panchal, was not impressed with the argument that Husain was taking advantage of his reputation to get away with the law by painting obscene pictures.

Maharashtra-based Dwaipayan Venkateshacharya Varkhedkar had challenged a Delhi High Court verdict quashing the criminal proceedings initiated against the eminent painter in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat.

Husain’s paintings, allegedly depicting Bharat Mata and Hindu gods and goddesses in an obscene manner, had created a furore, following which he had also received threats from right-wing groups like the VHP and the Bajrang Dal.