<p>95-year-old Husain, revered by many as India's Picasso, on Sunday went to the country's mission in Doha and surrendered his Indian passport, the Gulf Times reported.<br /><br />Husain, who has been living in self-imposed exile for nearly four years following a spate of cases in India over his controversial paintings of Hindu goddesses, had accepted Qatar's offer and would no longer be an Indian, his son Owais Husain said recently.<br /><br />India does not recognise dual citizenship. So, "in such a situation, surrendering passport by the person concerned is mandatory and Husain has only done that," an Indian Embassy official was quoted as saying by the paper.<br /><br />The artist has also applied for the Overseas Citizen of India card, the mission sources said, adding the embassy has facilitated all requirements for him to obtain the OCI card.<br />He also had a nearly two-hour meeting with Indian Ambassador in Qatar Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa, the sources said.<br /><br />Husain, who shuttles between Dubai and London, went in exile after a hate campaign was launched against him in 2006 over his controversial paintings. <br /><br />Several cases were filed against him by people protesting his portrayal of Hindu goddesses in the nude. His house was attacked and art works vandalised by fundamentalists in India.<br /><br />Indian government has described Husain as "pride of India" and said it was willing to provide security to him.<br /><br />"There is no case against M F Husain. Supreme Court has quashed all the cases against him," Home Secretary G K Pillai had recently said. He said the government was ready to provide security to the artist if he planned to return.<br /><br />"He (Husain) is the pride of India," Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao had said, adding, "I would like him to feel safe and secure in India".</p>
<p>95-year-old Husain, revered by many as India's Picasso, on Sunday went to the country's mission in Doha and surrendered his Indian passport, the Gulf Times reported.<br /><br />Husain, who has been living in self-imposed exile for nearly four years following a spate of cases in India over his controversial paintings of Hindu goddesses, had accepted Qatar's offer and would no longer be an Indian, his son Owais Husain said recently.<br /><br />India does not recognise dual citizenship. So, "in such a situation, surrendering passport by the person concerned is mandatory and Husain has only done that," an Indian Embassy official was quoted as saying by the paper.<br /><br />The artist has also applied for the Overseas Citizen of India card, the mission sources said, adding the embassy has facilitated all requirements for him to obtain the OCI card.<br />He also had a nearly two-hour meeting with Indian Ambassador in Qatar Deepa Gopalan Wadhwa, the sources said.<br /><br />Husain, who shuttles between Dubai and London, went in exile after a hate campaign was launched against him in 2006 over his controversial paintings. <br /><br />Several cases were filed against him by people protesting his portrayal of Hindu goddesses in the nude. His house was attacked and art works vandalised by fundamentalists in India.<br /><br />Indian government has described Husain as "pride of India" and said it was willing to provide security to him.<br /><br />"There is no case against M F Husain. Supreme Court has quashed all the cases against him," Home Secretary G K Pillai had recently said. He said the government was ready to provide security to the artist if he planned to return.<br /><br />"He (Husain) is the pride of India," Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao had said, adding, "I would like him to feel safe and secure in India".</p>
