In a shocking instance of Mahatma Gandhi's image being desecrated by an artist who hasn't left a signature behind, a black and white stenciled graffiti image of the Father of the Nation has appeared on the wall of a public urinal at the Hauz Khas Market, off Aurobindo Marg.
The anonymous graffiti artist's insult to the man who steered the nation to freedom drew an instant response from Supreme Court senior counsel Rajeev Dhavan.
He said even though the government was still mulling over a law to protect specifically the image of the Mahatma, the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act of 1950 barred the use of 'the name or pictorial representation of Mahatma Gandhi' for the purpose of any trade, business or profession.
Only the Union government could permit such use.
Dhavan was quick to add that in such cases, the prosecuting agency would have to establish that the perpetrator of the act was acting out of mala fide intent. The problem, though, is that the artist has hidden behind the veil of anonymity, obviously fearing a backlash.
The Hauz Khas neighbourhood has recently been seeing its public walls being perked up by a group of young graffiti artists who refuse to be photographed and identify themselves only as 'Daku' and 'Zine'.
Reputed artists who have used Gandhi's image in their work were guarded in expressing their opinion on the controversial graffiti
They make it a point to spray their fake identities at the bottom of every graffiti.
These artists go to such lengths to conceal their identities because a West Bengal legislation dating back to 1976, and applicable to Delhi, makes the painting of graffiti on public walls a punishable act.
Ironically, CM Sheila Dikshit, on the eve of the Commonwealth Games, gave her official blessings to graffiti artists to give character to the public walls. The perpetrators of the Gandhi image on the urinal wall may well have misused their artistic licence, but the ones who call themselves 'Daku' and 'Zine' denied any knowledge of its existence and denied any role in it.
Reputed artists who have used Gandhi's image in their work were guarded in expressing their opinion on the controversial graffiti.
The anonymous graffiti artist's insult to the man who steered the nation to freedom drew an instant response from Supreme Court senior counsel Rajeev Dhavan.
He said even though the government was still mulling over a law to protect specifically the image of the Mahatma, the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act of 1950 barred the use of 'the name or pictorial representation of Mahatma Gandhi' for the purpose of any trade, business or profession.
Only the Union government could permit such use.
Dhavan was quick to add that in such cases, the prosecuting agency would have to establish that the perpetrator of the act was acting out of mala fide intent. The problem, though, is that the artist has hidden behind the veil of anonymity, obviously fearing a backlash.
The Hauz Khas neighbourhood has recently been seeing its public walls being perked up by a group of young graffiti artists who refuse to be photographed and identify themselves only as 'Daku' and 'Zine'.
Reputed artists who have used Gandhi's image in their work were guarded in expressing their opinion on the controversial graffiti
They make it a point to spray their fake identities at the bottom of every graffiti.
These artists go to such lengths to conceal their identities because a West Bengal legislation dating back to 1976, and applicable to Delhi, makes the painting of graffiti on public walls a punishable act.
Ironically, CM Sheila Dikshit, on the eve of the Commonwealth Games, gave her official blessings to graffiti artists to give character to the public walls. The perpetrators of the Gandhi image on the urinal wall may well have misused their artistic licence, but the ones who call themselves 'Daku' and 'Zine' denied any knowledge of its existence and denied any role in it.
Reputed artists who have used Gandhi's image in their work were guarded in expressing their opinion on the controversial graffiti.
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