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WHF man denies he threatened artist
Executive board member of the World Hindu Federation (WHF) Hem Bahadur Karki on Thursday dismissed the charge that he had issued death threats to artist Manish Harijan for “blasphemy.” He, however, said he will now officially take the issue to his organisation and decide on the “steps” to be taken.
Some WHF activists led by Karki on Tuesday allegedly issued death threats against the artist for ‘outrageous’ portrayal of Hindu deities at the Siddhartha Art Gallery at Babarmahal. WHF Chairman Nil Prasad Bhandari insists the WHF has no involvement in the matter and that it could be grievances from individual members of his organisation.
Karki said he visited the gallery after he received complaints from WHF activists about the ‘blasphemous’ paintings.
He said he found the portrayal of the Hindu gods “objectionable and offensive to Hindus” and conveyed the same to the artist and the curator of the gallery.
“I had gone to the gallery alone. There were already a dozen men there and they thought they were with me,” he told the Post. “I did not issue any death threats to anyone.”
After a complaint was lodged at the Kathmandu District Administration Office (DAO) by one Sindhu Pathak, accusing Harijan of blasphemy, the administration had padlocked the gallery on Tuesday and summoned the artist and the curator.However, following widespread public criticism over the administration’s scrutiny of the paintings in question, the DAO on Thursday agreed to reopen the art gallery and let Harijan’s exhibition resume.
“After we committed not to hurt anyone’s religious sentiments, the CDO agreed to reopen the gallery,” said Sangita Thapa, the curator. “Our intention is never to hurt the sentiments of Hinduism or any other religion. The exhibition will resume on Friday.” Chief District Officer (CDO) Chudamani Sharma said the agreement was reached after the artist and the owner of the gallery convinced the administration that “the paintings were purely works of art and meant no offence.” However, the administration is yet to look into Harijan’s safety concerns after the alleged death threats. In his paintaings, Harijan has blended images of Hindu deities with Western ‘superheroes.’
Meanwhile, artists staged a sit-in at the DAO on Thursday. Over 100 artists and their supporters were later removed from the DAO premises “due to security concerns.” Under the surveillance of around two dozen police personnel, the protesters moved 500 metres away from the DAO. “An artist has every right to think his/her way,” said Nicole Thakuri, a Swiss-Nepali art lover, at the sit-in. “Tomorrow they may bar you from singing certain music and then the same on poetry and fiction. How far will it go anyway?”
Executive board member of the World Hindu Federation (WHF) Hem Bahadur Karki on Thursday dismissed the charge that he had issued death threats to artist Manish Harijan for “blasphemy.” He, however, said he will now officially take the issue to his organisation and decide on the “steps” to be taken.
Some WHF activists led by Karki on Tuesday allegedly issued death threats against the artist for ‘outrageous’ portrayal of Hindu deities at the Siddhartha Art Gallery at Babarmahal. WHF Chairman Nil Prasad Bhandari insists the WHF has no involvement in the matter and that it could be grievances from individual members of his organisation.
Karki said he visited the gallery after he received complaints from WHF activists about the ‘blasphemous’ paintings.
He said he found the portrayal of the Hindu gods “objectionable and offensive to Hindus” and conveyed the same to the artist and the curator of the gallery.
“I had gone to the gallery alone. There were already a dozen men there and they thought they were with me,” he told the Post. “I did not issue any death threats to anyone.”
After a complaint was lodged at the Kathmandu District Administration Office (DAO) by one Sindhu Pathak, accusing Harijan of blasphemy, the administration had padlocked the gallery on Tuesday and summoned the artist and the curator.However, following widespread public criticism over the administration’s scrutiny of the paintings in question, the DAO on Thursday agreed to reopen the art gallery and let Harijan’s exhibition resume.
“After we committed not to hurt anyone’s religious sentiments, the CDO agreed to reopen the gallery,” said Sangita Thapa, the curator. “Our intention is never to hurt the sentiments of Hinduism or any other religion. The exhibition will resume on Friday.” Chief District Officer (CDO) Chudamani Sharma said the agreement was reached after the artist and the owner of the gallery convinced the administration that “the paintings were purely works of art and meant no offence.” However, the administration is yet to look into Harijan’s safety concerns after the alleged death threats. In his paintaings, Harijan has blended images of Hindu deities with Western ‘superheroes.’
Meanwhile, artists staged a sit-in at the DAO on Thursday. Over 100 artists and their supporters were later removed from the DAO premises “due to security concerns.” Under the surveillance of around two dozen police personnel, the protesters moved 500 metres away from the DAO. “An artist has every right to think his/her way,” said Nicole Thakuri, a Swiss-Nepali art lover, at the sit-in. “Tomorrow they may bar you from singing certain music and then the same on poetry and fiction. How far will it go anyway?”
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