What Freedom?

When the nationalists got M F Hussain to apologise for his nude painting of Bharatmata or "Mother India" it really irked me. Not just because I'm a fan of Hussain; but because these hooligans get to decide on everyone's behalf how art and obscenity should be percieved.

What irked me even more was the parallel drawn by the media between the Danish cartoons that were derisive about a religious faith, and this work of art; as a basis of a discussion about freedom of speech & expression. Really, that was wrong on so many levels.

It was only recently that I actually got to see this much-debated-over painting & anybody who thinks that this depiction of 'Mother India' is distasteful, should look harder.