 "ORF Mumbai Chairman Sudheendra Kulkarni alleges black ink was thrown at him by Shiv Sena workers (Photo: ANI)")
Sudheendra Kulkarna, a former BJP ideologue who is organising the launch of Pakistan's former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri's book, was today attacked, allegedly by Shiv Sena members.
Kulkarni was reportedly attacked outside his house by Sena members, who blackened his face with paint and abused him.
"When I got out of my home this morning, a group of Shiv Sainiks stopped my car. When I came out, they smeared me with black paint. They abused me," Kulkarni alleged and said that his Observer and Research Foundation (ORF), a foreign policy think-tank, will go ahead with the planned book launch by Kasuri later today despite the attack.
"We won't be cowed down by such events and the book launch will happen as planned," he said and soon after was present at a media interaction along with Kasuri while still drenched in paint.
Mumbai police spokesperson Dhananjay Kulkarni said the incident occurred in front of Kulkarni's house near Kings circle in suburban Matunga at around 9.30 a.m. "About 5-7 unknown persons shouted some slogans and threw colour or ink on him," he said, adding city police will provide security for the event to prevent any untoward incident.
The attack drew sharp condemnation from parties, with Congress saying that "the idea of India as the most liberal democratic country, despite all our neighbours having gone the other way, is being destroyed in the root".
Defending the action of party activists, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said "smearing ink is a very mild form of democratic protest. They are so upset about ink. Imagine when our soldiers are killed and their blood is spilled. It is not ink, it is the blood of our soldiers."
"Nobody can foretell how public anger will explode. People in the country are angry over the violence and bloodshed by Pakistan. We do not have anything personal against Kasuri or anyone else," Raut said.
Kasuri said he was "most upset" over the "unfortunate" incident and asserted that while he respected the right to protest, it should be done in a democratic manner.
The Pakistani leader said the main purpose of his visit was to talk about the peace process between India and Pakistan during his tenure.
"Pakistan and India are not born to hate each other. If there are men of goodwill on both sides, situation could easily change.... That is what is contained in my book and I thought it was important to give this message," he said.
Earlier, Kulkarni had said the event would continue as scheduled despite threats from the Sena. Kasuri is scheduled to attend the launch of his book 'Neither a Hawk nor a Dove: An Insider's Account of Pakistan's Foreign Policy' at 5.30 p.m in Mumbai's Worli area.
Kulkarni, Chairman of Observer and Research Foundation, a foreign policy think tank, late last night met Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's residence Matoshree.
It is understood that the meeting was futile and Kulkarni left Matoshree without getting any assurance from the Sena leader whose party's threat to disrupt Pakistan ghazal singer Ghulam Ali's concerts led to cancellation of his events in Mumbai and Pune recently.
"I have requested Uddhav Thackeray that Shiv Sena should not oppose the book launch event. I also told him that the event will proceed despite Sena's threat," Kulkarni said yesterday.
Kulkarni has served as speechwriter for BJP veterans Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani, and was a key aide to both BJP leaders.
The Sena, which shares power with the BJP in Maharashtra, has written to the director of Worli's Nehru Centre, the launch venue, to cancel the show because of the Pakistan connection.
Maharashtra's home department, headed by BJP chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, has assured the organisers of full security cover.
"Our event will go on as planned. We have been assured full security and assistance by the police," Kulkarni said.
