It is sad and condemnable that even the local police (ACP Chennai Murali) has taken law into its hands and vandalised the paintings of the exhibition "Aurangzeb as he was according to Moghul court documents". The exhibition has been organised by the FACT India (Foundation against continuing terrorism) to bring focus on the growing fundamentalism and terrorism in the world like the subject of the exhibition Aurangzeb who killed and persecuted Hindus for they donot believe in what he believes the QURAN.

This blind and radicalism is what FACT wants to bring to light nad it is heartening that istead of protecting the art works the local police has actually acted as stooges of the miscreants and (MR MURALI ACP Chennai) broke two paintings depicting the demolition of Temples (supported by his Documents Akhbarat) by Aurangzeb's orders.

They detained three women volunteers illegally after forcing them to close down the show, where a French journalist had displayed paintings on Mughal emperor Aurangazeb.

The police took Saraswathi (65), Dr.Vijayalakshmi (62) and Malathi (47) to the Thousand Lights station at around 7.30 p.m. for enquiry into charges of assisting an exhibition by French journalist Francois Gautier at Lalit Kala Akademi’s (LKA) Regional Centre on Greams Road.

The So called Prince of Arcot Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali was the one who made a fuss out of nothing after visiting the exhibition. But the point missed is how on earth can an Art and History exhibition disturb communal harmony was lost in the midst of mindless protest. The police initially suggested removal of two pictures depicting demolition of Keshava Rai temple in Mathura and that of Somnath temple by the armies of Aurangazeb but then simply walked in and broke the paintings.

Ms Saraswati (65) a volunteer of FACT said, “The police was rude to us. They asked us whether we were terrorists. We were detained in the station for more than half an hour and they did not allow us to contact our family.” Another volunteer Ms Malathi said, “The police entered the exhibition hall at 7.30 pm and threw away some paintings.”

Two Muslim outfits Tamil Nadu Towheed Jamaat and Samooha Neethi Peravai were the ones to rake up a controversy and made a scene in front of LKA.

While the Trustee and organiser Mr Francois said, “I have conducted the same exhibition at India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, Pune and Bangalore. No one protested. It is necessary to create a dialogue between communities and put an end to the intolerant culture of Aurangazeb. Let us inculcate the cosmopolitan spirit of Dara Shkoh, the brother of Aurangazeb, who learnt Upanishads and had a dialogue with the Hindu brethren.”

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