Manmohan Singh on MF Hussain's death

New Delhi, Jun 9: Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh expressed sorrow on the death of prominent Indian painter, MF Hussain, saying his death is a national loss for the country.

Jayanthi Natarajan, spokesperson for Congress called MF Hussain's death a "huge loss".

"Hussain was a great artist. India has lost a renowned artist today," said Ravi Shankar Prasad, BJP spokesperson.

Ambika Soni, Information and Broadcasting, Minister also said that he was always an respectable and eminent citizen of India.

M F Hussain, died at the Royal Brompton hospital in London on Thursday at 2:30am. Aged 95, Hussain was on a self-imposed exile and living in Qatar. He died of lung congestion.

He had faced the ire of right wing groups for his bold portrayal of Hindu deities, especially the Shiv Sena and VHP. He also faced death threats. Saddened and often vocal of the treatment meted out to him by India, he was often quoted as saying that India will always be his home.

Reports say that he died of heart attack. Twitter and other social media platforms are abuzz with news of the artist's death.

M F Hussain, famous in the Indian Art scenario was listed in the 500 most influential Muslim in the world by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in Amman, Jordan.

Hussain was charged with about hundred court cases for hurting the religious sentiments of Hindus by painting the nude portraits of Hindu goddesses. Political parties like Shiv Sena, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal issued death threats against him.

OneIndia News