Anish Kapoor removed from India Rajasthan arts panel

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-india-34876525

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British-Indian sculptor Anish Kapoor has been been removed from an arts panel in the northern Rajasthan state.

The BJP-run state government had nominated him and 11 others as members of the governing board of the Jawahar Kala Kendra (arts centre) on Tuesday.

But the government has now dissolved the board, citing official lapses.

Mr Kapoor had recently written a scathing article against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP party over cases of intolerance in India.

The Jawahar Kala Kendra is the hub of arts and artistic activities in Rajasthan's capital Jaipur.

"Nomination of all the 12 members has been cancelled last night. I had no idea of the nomination earlier," the PTI news agency quotes Rajasthan Tourism minister Krishnendra Kaur as saying.

Mr Kapoor alleged in his article that India was being ruled by the "Hindu Taliban".

"Of late, Modi's regime has effectively tolerated - if not encouraged - a saffron-clad army of Hindu activists who monitor and violently discipline those suspected of eating beef, disobeying caste rules or betraying the 'Hindu nation'," he wrote.

Indian media reports suggest that some members of the BJP were not happy with Mr Kapoor's nomination on the panel of the arts centre.