India
Krishna said that when he met the painter during his travels, Husain had expressed a desire to return to the country.
Updated : Nov 21, 2013, 01:44 PM IST
Union minister for external affairs SM Krishna today termed the death of noted painter MF Husain in self-imposed exile in London as "one of the saddest episodes of our times"
"It is one of the saddest episodes of our times that a painter, about whom I think every Indian should be proud of, was virtually banished by a section...," Krishna said.
To a question on the inability to get the painter's body to the country, he said, "It is unfortunate that we could not get back his body into the country".
To a query whether there was a growing loss of sense of tolerance among Indians, he said, "I think a section amongst us is focussed in perpetuating these small and extraneous considerations... it does not speak very well of a civil society. There is a lot for us Indians to introspect.."
Krishna said that when he met the painter during his travels, Husain had expressed a desire to return to the country.
"But it could not happen", he said.