Picasso or propagandist?

Controversy dogs M F Husain even after his death. While MNS and Congress have hailed him as India's Picasso, Sena and VHP have labelled him whimsical, adamant and even a pervert


I found Husain to be ahead of Picasso, who earned name, fame and money. I don't know why his creations created controversies and all such controversies should be buried along with him now. People like Husain do not work for rewards and honours such as the Bharat Ratna and the government should take a call on whether it should be bestowed upon him. The artist should be cremated at Pandharpur, where he was born.u00a0
Raj Thackeray, MNS chief


Husain was a whimsical and adamant person. He quit the country but refused to quit his stubbornness. He pursued modern art with a passion but lost his way by depicting Hindu deities. If his death is a blow to modern art, so be it.u00a0u00a0u00a0
Bal Thackeray, Shiv Sena supremo

Husain was never bound by rules of art. He did what he liked to do and he has left his mark. Black was a very special colour to him, he always preferred to use it and formed his own school of art. Such talented artists are very rare.
Prithviraj Chavan, chief minister

Known as India's Picasso, Husain had evolved his own style and he worked hard to make Indian art get the world's respect. A chapter has been closed with his death and even the colours must be mourning.u00a0 ufffd Ajit Pawar, dy chief minister

We have lost an artist
of international fame, some of whose creations invited criticism. His contribution towards putting India, and especially Maharashtra, on the world art map can never be forgotten.u00a0
Chhagan Bhujbal, PWD Minister

M F Husain was a big artist but he had a strong bias that led him to forget the very ethics of the artistic community. He must have had a perverted mind to depict Hindu deities in the nude as he spared all other religions.

He created a rift among religions and their followers by showing disrespect towards Hindu gods and goddesses. I was ready to face any punishment for finishing him off.u00a0

Artists are supposed to have no religion, but Husain used his art against Hindu sentiments.

That's why we equated him with Gazini and Ghori. He used his artistic freedom to hurt the sentiments of the biggest religion and the biggest nation in the world.
Shankar Gaykar, state coordinator, Vishwa Hindu Parishad