Author:
Publication: The Statesman
Date: March 7, 2008
URL: http://www.thestatesman.net/page.arcview.php?date=2008-03-07&usrsess=6831795802049&clid=2&id=220803
An art exhibition on the life of the Mughal
emperor Aurangazeb was today cancelled following directions from police after
some Muslim individuals objected to two paintings showing demolition of temples
in Somnath and Mathura on the ground that they would "disturb peace"
in Tamil Nadu.
Four persons, including Mr R Saraswathi, a
volunteer of the Foundation Against Continuing Terrorism (Fact), the organisers
of the exhibition, have been detained for interrogation, a senior police official
said.
"If found innocent, they would be let
off," he said.
The foundation is run by Delhi-based French
journalist Francois Gautier.
Police said some Muslims, who came to the
Lalith Kala Academy, the venue of the exibition, raised objections to the
paintings, depicting Aurangazeb's forces demolishing Hindu temples at Somnath
and Mathura.
"They claimed that the pictures were
sending wrong messages which could lead to communal hatred following which
we asked Fact to cancel the exhibition," the official said. The exhibition
which opened on 3 March was scheduled to run till March 9. Earlier in the
day, regional secretary of the academy Mr RM Palaniappan told reporters that
he was waiting for orders from the Delhi headquarters on cancelling the show.
- PTI
