09 June,2011 05:59 PM IST | | Agencies
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday condoled the demise of famous artist Maqbool Fida Husain but said he "had got distanced from India and Indians".
BJP leader Ananth Kumar said Husain had contributed to Indian art.
"We offer our condolences on his demise," he told reporters here.
Husain, who died in London Thursday, was forced to live in self-imposed exile due to death threats from Hindu radicals.
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BJP spokesman Tarun Vijay said Husain should have come back and "respected sentiments of people".
"He (Husain) should have come back, respected the law and people's sentiments and merged his breath and body with Indian soil. Alas, not only he got distanced from Indians but also from India," Vijay told IANS.
He said the party had not opposed his return to India but wanted that "he should have respected sentiments of Indian people."
"His caricature of Durga and Bharat Mata was obnoxious and unacceptable," he said.
