Black Ink AttacK: It’s A Black Day

Eight to ten Shiv Sena activists came home and right as I was leaving black paint was smeared all over my face.

Shiv Sena has once again shown its utter intolerance and unadulterated hatred towards all things Pakistani, as activists attacked Sudheendra Kulkarni, who heads the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) on Monday.

“They abused me”, Kulkarni alleged and said that his ORF, a foreign policy think-tank, will hold Kasuri’s book launch.

He has asked Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis for “adequate security” for Kasuri and the event today at 5.30 pm. Kulkarni met Uddhav Thackeray, the Sena chief, on Sunday evening, and told him while he appreciated the Sena’s right to democratically oppose the Pakistani author, it should not disrupt the function.

The Shiv Sena, a junior partner in a ruling coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Maharashtra state government, was last week accused of using threats to force the cancellation of an appearance in Mumbai by Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali.

Kulkarni, was allegedly attacked by Shiv Sena workers earlier today for refusing to back down from organising Kasuri’s book launch. “There have been a string of events that are tarnishing India’s image”, says the former Ambassador, Neelam Deo, co-founder of the Mumbai-based think tank Gateway House.

On Monday, Sena spokesperson Sanjay Raut, said: “It is hard to predict where people’s anger against Pakistan would erupt”.

Kasuri was Pakistan’s foreign minister under General Pervez Musharraf and has elaborated on his stint in his book. “I strongly condemn whosoever has done this”, said Advani, adding that “of late we have seen an increase in cases of intolerance, this is against democracy”.

CPI(M) also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that the top BJP leader’s “Make in India” initiative is nothing but “Breaking India” campaign.

The party later cancelled a planned protest at the launch of Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri’s book amid an outcry. “But, there are a few who don’t want India-Pakistan peace”, he said.

Kulkarni meanwhile went ahead with a press conference, his face still blackened and with Kasuri by his side, promising that the book release function would take place.