NEW YORK: Hindu Janjagruti Samiti and Indian American Intellectuals Forum jointly staged a noisy protest demonstration in front of Christie's Art Gallery in New York on March 20 against renowned artist MF Husain for painting Hindu Gods and Goddesses in lewd, and extremely vulgar sexual positions. "Husain, by faith is a Muslim. But his target is always Hindu.

It is unfathomable to comprehend as to what on earth prompts him to paint only Hindu gods and goddesses in a bawdy form," questioned Arish Sahani, Vice President of the Forum. One of the protesters asked: "If Husain believes in the artistic freedom, in that case why has he never painted founders of other faiths in nude?

"The protesters shouted slogans and carried banners saying: "MF Husain - Shame, Shame", "Down with - MF Husain", "Boycott - Christie's" "Husain is - Insane", etc.Earlier, in a letter addressed to Christie's, Narain Kataria, President of Indian American Intellectuals Forum, a New York based group, had expressed his group's outrage and anguish against the unacceptable and uncivilized behavior of Husain. "Six courts have issued arrest warrants against him. More than 28,000 people have signed a petition condemning Husain for his malicious attempts to vilify Hindu people. Over 1250 police complaints have been filed against him.

In several cities his effigies have been burnt. In nutshell, he is a criminal and a fugitive from justice." "Indian Parliament has condemned Husain squarely for painting nude pictures of Mother India. By his insidious actions, he has deeply hurt the sentiments of more than one billion Hindus all over the globe," Kataria continued.

"We believe, it is unbecoming on the part of Christie's, a reputable Art Gallery, to associate with a person of criminal background, and promote his paintings." Kataria has also sent a power point presentation to Christie's, highlighting "Husain's deliberate distortion and degradation of Hindu culture".

The protesters blamed Christie's for aiding and abetting hate crimes against Hindu people by exhibiting Hindu gods and goddesses, adored and worshipped by one sixth of humanity on earth, in a despicable form.