Vadodara: An art exhibition titled 'Modi@20' at Maharaja Sayajirao University's Faculty of Fine Arts has removed two paintings portraying Prime Minister Narendra Modi as characters resembling Hindu gods, following concerns raised by the University about potential religious sentiment hurt.
The exhibition, curated by Suvadra Art Gallery and coordinated by Vadodara-based artist Jaydev Biswal, featured PM Modi as 'Vishwakarma' and 'Dashbhuja', among other artworks chronicling 20 years of Modi's public life.
Ambika Patel, Dean of the Faculty of Fine Arts, explained, "We asked the artists to explain their intentions behind the paintings. While they clarified that one artwork depicted Modi as Vishwakarma and the other was not directly religious, we advised them to be cautious about artworks that might hurt the sentiments of any group or community."
The artists expressed surprise and disappointment at the removal, with some feeling hurt by the decision. The paintings were part of a collection of around 40 pieces, including sculptures, highlighting various aspects of Modi's political journey.