The gallery was ransacked and the paintings destroyed. PHOTO: FILE
NEW DELHI:
The rising tension between India and Pakistan took its toll on an art show in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, where Hindu extremists vandalised an art gallery showcasing work by Pakistani and Indian artists.
Members of Bajrang Dal, an extremist youth organisation, ransacked the Amdavad Ni Gufa Art Gallery and destroyed the collection of paintings by 11 Pakistanis and six Indians to ‘protest’ against the alleged Line of Control (LoC) ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops and the killing of Indian soldiers.
While police were deployed at the venue on the first two days of the event that started on August13, no policemen were present at the gallery when Bajrang Dal members barged in. They screamed abuses, broke windows, damaged furniture and tore paintings. Around 30 works were on display at the exhibition — “An Art Affair” — organised by the International Creative Art Centre. “Some of them shouted, ‘While Pakistan brutally kills our soldiers, we are busy promoting their art. They should be taught a lesson,’” said an eyewitness.
About six months ago, paintings by Pakistani artists were on display at the Hutheesing Visual Art Centre in Ahmedabad as well, but there was no protest then. “We thought we won’t face any trouble here. But we were obviously wrong,” exhibition organiser Ravindra Mardia told local newspapers. “On the first day, a local artist did object to the inclusion of work by Pakistani artists. But he was civil in the way he communicated his displeasure.”
The exhibition was an attempt to display the evolution of art in both the countries in the past 66 years, but this assault was a “mindless act of cowardice”, she said.
In an email, Arjumand Faisal, a curator at Gallery6 in Islamabad, recounted the travails of Pakistani artists trying to show their work in India and sought the intervention of India-Pakistan peace groups to condemn the incident.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 18th, 2013.
COMMENTS (40)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@Jhonny Lever: Dear Sir, I feel the opposite. The gates for visas be opened completely without any checks. Let people of Pakistan come and see that how much lies and miss information has been drilled into them. We have nothing to hide. Let people of Pakistan come in thousands and see we are same people, same culture, same race and how true is the two nation theory? The history of Muslims is spread all over this land in language, in monuments, in food, in etiquette, music, dance and what not. Then they will know how ill informed are they for selfish reasons of some. I only hope this comment will appear.
@truthbetold: They could have just insisted that the Pakistani painters pictures be removed from the display
@Anand: Can't speak for gp65, but I for one feel that with the acceleration in cross-border infiltration over this summer and resultant casualties, it is time that the government itself sent a strong message by suspending people-to-people contact. Only elderly and very few people who have been vetted should be given visas until the time that Pakistan stops its war games.
@RAW is WAR: This is no support to your troops this is pure simple stupidity.
@Rehman: Your comment is most unfortunate and is a mirror reflection of jehadis in Pakistan. Be Indian.
@gp65
You condemned this act of thuggery. Thank you for that. But why the rider? It is like saying that 'I condemn the rapist, but the girl shouldn't have been at the wrong place at the wrong time.
@Raj - USA: If I recollect, Gulam Rasool “Kuldeep sharma” mentioned a long time ago that he is an Indian Sikh who converted to Islam. I guess he writes his name in full to demonstrate that he has no ill-will to Muslims as such being as he is one among them.
@Gulam Rasool "Kuldeep sharma": “Read My Name & you Will Understand It”
I am not able to get it fully as to what you are saying. I think this is the 2nd time you are mentioning this. For my better understanding could you please elaborate. I think that you are mentioning something on your multi-religious, secular background or something on this lines. Sorry, cannot grasp the full extent of what your are trying to say. I am sure there are others like me also, Can you please elaborate?
@@Raw is War: great sentiments bro....in fact people like RAW...are main hindrance in peace ....not the terrorists.
@Khan "This makes me very happy that Pakistan was formed and that the two-nation stuff is true etc."
Sorry to disappoint You brother, but that was a failed theory, I have 5 Muslim Friends (2 break IIT, 1 is in DRDO, 2 are prosper Businessman), but you are wrong, Last thing "Read My Name & you Will Understand It"
We condemn this. No if's and No but's.
This is very sad indeed. There is no justification for destroying the hard work of the Pakistani artists. After all, they were guests in India and all they were doing was to exhibit their art work. If the Indian group wanted to protest, they could have peacefully protested outside the art gallery to send their message. I strongly condemn this thoughtless hooliganism and destruction of the hard work of these artists. Every Indian should send a strong message to radicals who carried out this act.
@Khan: No logic to what you are saying. No one is protesting agains Shah Rukh Khan or A R Rehman or Azim Premji. In fact our VJ is a Muslim.in other words this was not a protest against Indian Muslims but rather Pakistanis, hence if there was no Pakistan and soldiers had been killed , this protest too would not have happened.
Not justifying such a violent form of protest but your logic had no merit whatsoever.
@Candid1: Properties of Indians in Pakistan? Which properties are these that are so safe? Or are ou confusing Hindu Pakistanis with Indians? No one is rejecting Indian Muslim artistes and performers merely. For being Muslim.
This thuggery should not have happened but then exhibition of Pakistani painters'. Work at this time also should not have happened. Hope guilty are punished.
I have noticed that you post under the names Raw is War, Zalim Singh, BruteForce, Anoop - all depending on your mood and how jingoistic your comment is. I would urge ET to look into this. . For what it's worth, I believe that what you have said is indicative of the backward mindset on both sides that fans the flame of this conflict. The only people you are patting on the back are some elements within Pakistan which are threatened by peace with India and likely engineered the events to coincide with Nawaz and Manmohan's meeting. . Sigh, nationalism is truly a curse. Peace and love to all wishing to win a war on an online forum comment section...good luck. . ET: Please publish. Why is it you allow such ridiculous comments but not any sane ones. There was a time we could engage in discussion without mudslinging.
@RAW is WAR: then you should be equally proud of SAEEDS, DAUDS and the likes. According to Mr.Advani...any act which hurts property or life or create chaos is TERRORISM...and by supporting vandalism you are supporting terrorism..any doubt?
@Rehman: Some times wind direction is from Pakistan to our side of the border...STOP BREATHING. With people like you there is really no chance of PEACE in the region.
If something is wrong, it will remain wrong, no matter if it was a reaction. . India and Pakistan should both welcome and accept cultural bombs! It will stop real bombs!!
Pakistan Army in 1971 killed hundreds of Bengali painters/sculpturists/artist/singers/writers in occupied Bangladesh. And (if caught by Pakistan Army), a Hindu + painter/sculpturist/artist/singer/writer = no mercy/sure dead. My (old-Dhaka) school art (drawing - paint) teacher (a hindu) was killed by Pakistan army in April/May 1971.
Pakistan mentality and fine art/culture do not suit together.
@RAW is WAR:
"I am absolutely proud of my Gujarati brethren for showing support to our troops."
If it was happened in Pakistan in support of troops, you would be first to call Pakistanis as extremists. Hypocrisy at its peak
@Candid1:
Could you please tell me how many properties do Indians hold over there ?
Only paintings...had it been pakistan..the most important things paintings have remain intact and least important things the life of people would have been destroyed
I am absolutely proud of my Gujarati brethren for showing support to our troops.
@candid1 Although I m against all these wat all happened But can u tell me which property u r talking abt ,its always a one sided affair
When we are intollerant of others.............we should not cry if others are intollerant of us. Taking out ones frustrations on an art exhibition is nonsensical.
The last I heard was that paintings and similar art forms were unIslamic. Aurangzeb, the last major Mughal ruler had banned all art forms like singing, dancing and painting and mind you Aurangzeb is one of the most revered mughal ruler in Pakistan. By the way I totally condemn this act of vandalism by the right wing thugs.
sad news indeed. lunatics are having a field day. army of both countries need periodic performance booster so that hugh defence spending at the cost of education, food and basic amenities to the large population can be justified. LOC skrimishes are part of this periodic booster. else how much army loves its own population is manifestly seen in Egypt, North Korea, China, Syria etc. attacking the work of artists, writer and intellectuals to 'avange' the noora kushti is at best pathetic.
@IndMuslim: Have you lost your mind? Regardless of whether you are muslim or not, if you are an Indian, pls do not support this form of thuggery. Extremely shameful act.
This clearly exposes the terrorist mind set prevailing among the Indians. Although Indian shelling has killed and wounded Pakistani citizens, you don;t see any acts of violence against Indians or their property in Pakistan.
Members of an islamic students organisation attacked a christian painter Colin David's house and destroyed all of his lifetime collection a few years ago in Lahore. Insanity is across both sides of the border. Here in Pakistan, muslims don't tolerate members of another sect or religion, let alone a foreigner nonmuslim. We ll have to sort out our own house if we want to be respected abroad. And with the recent tensions on border, it was a foolish idea to go and give them a provocation and easy target. Atleast they vandalized paintings and didn't harm any human. If it was Pakistan, crazy lunatics from lashkar-e-Jhangvi or TTP would have killed the painters along with the paintings.
This makes me very happy that Pakistan was formed and that the two-nation stuff is true etc.
These werent hindu extremists. They were just common Indian nationals. Indians don't like us, I don't get why we're trying to appease them so much.
we wants pakistani painter for punishment who send their painting to india.
"While Pakistan brutally kills our soldiers, we are busy promoting their art. They should be taught a lesson,’”
no question of extremist we all indian believes above statement and will not allow any pakistani. how pakistani paintings were allowed that needs to investigate.
pakistani should send painting to china, why india, we indian will not allow pakistanis.
Nothing can be more stupid than this. Very, very shameful act.