Counter View on Shashi Tharore's reaction to criticism on his earlier TOI article which supports MF Hussein’s painting of naked goddess

I deeply regret the audacity of the people who reacted to your article in a very offending manner. These are the people who exploit anonymity of modern day technology. None of these people would have responded this way if they have to face you in person.
The usage of bad language including the offending comments against your family members simply dissolves their point. These are the misguided people who don’t understand what Hinduism is? May be active supporters of radical political party which survives on hard-line hindutva. If they can not respect the women in their neighborhood and make offending comments against them they don’t even have a right to speak of Hinduism, it is a paradox that they got offended by this painting.

Though I strongly oppose those comments I can not agree with your justification of this eminent artist's controversial painting.

Hinduism is as such the Haindava dharma is based on a few principles laid centuries ago. Here respect for women stands tall.
A naked figure might not appease the soft and heavenly appearance of goddess Saraswati.
The way gods classified in Hinduism is rather bizarre looking from a western point of view. We have a well defined hierarchy like a corporate organization with very sternly defined roles. There are few Apsaras and Gandharvas which are high souls than human but not gods. The srungara bhangimas in Khjaraho or in kamasutra can not be simply attributed to gods rather they represent these Apsaras.

We can not compare the Famous David statue by Michael Angelo to this scenario. In the first place we don’t know how contemporary people reacted to that at that point of time.
More over the European renaissance period art culture is all the same in expression of nakedness that no one really gets offended. In the European culture angels are those who wore nothing unlike Indian culture where dress code is very much visible.

In a democracy like India everyone has freedom of expression at the same time every one has right to question this as well. Can you imagine this painter drawing picture that resembles his mother in this fashion? That hurts isn't it? So does this painting. The painter in question is more famous because of his modern art and for the price tag on each of his artifacts. This kind of a controversy raises his price tag by many folds, that’s the only intention I can see behind this. To cope up with the competition this can be seen as a publicity stunt.
An angry agitation by public will not really address the problem, rather he should be sued for defaming the godess and bring to justice in a court.