They vandalised my art work in front of police, media, says sculptor Bhupesh Kavadia

Sculptor Bhupesh Kavadia's installation displayed at the Second Jaipur Art Summit in 2014 was misinterpreted by some right-wing groups as the depiction of Lord Ganesha via toilet pots. According to the sculptor, the art work depicts young children questioning the dismal condition of sanitation. Photo: Special Arrangement

A year since sculptor Bhupesh Kavadia’s art work using toilet pots to spread awareness towards sanitation was misconstrued as the depiction of Lord Ganesha, the 46-year-old sculptor has been visiting the courts to save himself from a police arrest.

The Udaipur-based sculptor was entangled in a mesh of controversies when he exhibited his installations on sanitation where he used toilet pots to depict deaths due to poor sanitation and hygiene. Some groups including the Jaipur-based Brahman Mahasabha Yuva Prakoshtha and the Jan Samasya Nivaran Manch vandalised his installations stating that Mr. Kavadia had insulted Lord Ganesha through his toilet pot art work.

Vinod Bharadwaj, one of the pioneers of the Jaipur Art Summit, said, “From no angle did the installations resemble Ganesha. It was appalling that the controversy erupted on the installations that had already been exhibited in New Delhi before they were brought to the Second Jaipur Art Summit [last year].”

Not only did the groups demolish the installations, they also filed an FIR against Mr. Kavadia under Section 295 of the Indian Penal Code (defiling any object held sacred by any class of persons) which is a non-bailable offence.

Mr. Kavadia said to The Hindu , “When the mob vandalised my art work in front of the police and the media, I understood that in our country the mob is above the law.”

“I first applied to the sessions court for bail then to the Rajasthan High Court. Finally, I approached the Supreme Court and about seven months back I was able to get a stay on my arrest, however, the case continues,” Mr. Kavadia said.