Hounded MF Hussain finds free artistic paradise in Islamic Monarchy

In an exclusive interview with Sedition and Perdition, Maqbool Fida Husain revealed that after being harassed and hounded by religious fundamentalists across the world, in particular his home country India, he has found the perfect paradise for unlimited freedom of artistic expression in the absolute monarchical, family-ruled, Emirate-type government ruled Qatar.
"The State of Qatar, governed by Islamic law codes, run by a discretionary system of law controlled by the Amir and with no role for the International Court of Justice jurisdiction, is the perfect place for me to practice art," said Husain, still seething with rage at Hindu fundamentalists, who attacked his studio after the controversy broke out over his painting a few Hindu goddesses in the nude.
"The Hindu fundamentalists, unlike the Amir of Qatar, have no sense of freedom or liberty or sense of artistic expression," he told SedPerd. "When I spoke to the Amir and various government officials of Islamic Government of Qatar, they emphatically empowered me to paint all Hindu goddesses in the nude. Will Hindu fanatics ever expand their minds and horizons to say this?"
Husain, 95, denied to SedPerd in this fictional interview that he was hypocritical in his selections or a publicity monger, or for that matter, that he thrives on media attention and controversy to increase the financial prospects of his works of art.

"It is utter nonsense that I seek media attention… am I giving you this interview so that I may be featured in a newspaper. No, never. As far as painting Hindu goddesses in the nude is concerned, why, I am equally open to painting Jesus Christ or any of the Christian Saints in the nude… only, as an artist I don’t find them very appealing. For that matter, take Sikh or Jewish figures of religious admiration for that matter… not sexually, appealing enough for a painting that must fetch a few crores of rupees."

MF, also known as the Picasso of India, who has been living in self-exile for a few years now, was also not very pleased with the blasphemy laws of Christian Western nations.
"See the kind of controversy they made of Dan Brown’s book or any of those movies on Christ. God, I wonder how people, especially artists can live in such repressive societies. Have you ever heard of any Muslim fundamentalist condemning an artist for painting Hindu Goddesses in the nude of portraying Jesus in bad light?"

Praising the Amir, government and good people of Qatar, he told SedPerd, "I can now freely paint any Hindu, Christian, Jewish or Sikh god or goddess or prophet in peace and tranquility. Of course too much of it will lead to difficulties in selling them… but then an odd trip…sorry, what was I saying, no, merely thinking aloud. It is amazing what freedom exists here."

The al-Thani family-ruled Emirate came in for praise from the famed painter for its economic development, high per capita income, infrastructure and demonstrable progress.

"Any painter from any part of the world will love to come here and paint. Why only painting, film makers, writers, singers, poets, anyone in fact, facing blasphemy charges from Christian, Jewish or Hindu persecution, or a run from the communist censorship of China or North Korea, will love to rush here."
Asked why he did not select Islamic icons for art, he spoke in a hushed-up voice, "Shut up, you infidel scoundrels. Do you want to get all of us killed or what…. I don’t paint Islamic gods because they are not seen. Of course, the real God is not seen and all gods who are seen are not Gods, hence can be tampered with…"

Asked about Salman Rushdie or Taslima Nasreen or any other artist on the run from Islamic fundamentalists, he screamed, "They indulged in blasphemy and insulted Islam. They deserve to be publicly cut into pieces…let them make one trip here and you shall see. Bloody scoundrels insulting the religious sentiments of Muslims for the sake of so-called artistic freedom and creating media controversies to earn more…."
Just when SedPerd were getting set to ask their last question, he took a call, "Yes, of course, my lord Amir the great, I will do your painting and give it a great look…yes, of course, my great lord, whatever you say…what else is an artist for?"