MF's last rites should be in India, says BJP

“He may have been controversial, but he was an Indian. So, his last rites should be performed in India,” said BJP general secretary Ananth Kumar.

Condoling the death renowned painter, Kumar said  Husain “had contributed to Indian art” though he had distanced from India and Indians”.

“We offer our condolences on his demise,” Kumar told reporters here.Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, a bitter critic of Husain for the “objectionable” depiction of Hindu goddesses in his paintings, condoled his demise.

“Damage may have been caused to modern art due to his demise. Thats all. May Allah give him peace,” Thackeray said.

“As an artist, everyone has a domain and Husain handled his modern art with zeal. However, he ‘slipped’ while drawing paintings of Hindu gods and goddesses,” he added.
His nephew and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief  Raj Thackeray termed Husain as “national asset” and said that “all controversies related to paintings of renowned painter Husain should be laid to rest with his demise”.

Maqbool Fida Husain , a Muslim by birth  formerly based in Mumbai, was accused by Hindu hardliners of insulting the religion for portraying Hindu goddesses nude in some of his paintings, a depiction that Husain argued symbolised purity.