Police arrest six from regional political party over ink attack on activist

Meanwhile, sources in Shiv Sena said that party Chief Uddhav Thackeray had felicitated six party workers who had allegedly smeared ink on Kulkarni’s face for inviting and hosting Kasuri’s book launch in Mumbai. Sena activists doused Mr. Kulkarni with paint for organising the launch of the former Pakistan Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri’s book.

So before we understand the ideology behind such attacks, we need to ask what Shiv Sena achieved by throwing the ink on Kulkarni’s face?

This is also not the first time that the disruptive Shiv Sena has tried to project itself as the sole voice against everything Pakistani. While addressing a press conference Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said, “We haven’t stopped protesting against Pakistan”. We know what to do and when to do. “Nobody can foretell how public anger will explode”, he said.

A day after the ugly incident involving Sudheendra Kulkarni, the ex-aide of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, whose face was blackened by Shiv Sena hooligans on Monday, ties between the two allies deteriorated sharply. Sena had demanded that the event be scrapped and had threatened to disrupt it.

Earlier, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had assured the organisers of a full security cover for the event.

Recently, stiff opposition from Shiv Sena led to cancellation of Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali’s concert in Maharashtra.

Sudheendra Kulkarni is a top Indian diplomat and moderator of Khurshid Kasuri’s book launch event.

The Sena activists, including Sharma, who were booked under IPC Section 188 (defying orders of police), were produced before a court which released them on bail this morning, said Vyas. On the contrary another senior BJP leader has said that Sena would not “dare” to take the extreme decision. “The people have the right to protest, but they can’t take the law in their hands”, Vaidya told ANI.

“I informed him that Kasuri was Pakistan’s foreign minister during 2002-07 and was not a minister when the 2008 Mumbai terror attack happened”, he said.

Although Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains tight lipped on the actions of the Shiv Sena, “many others are voicing out their distaste for the party’s extremist stance”, said the editorial.

Though virtually isolated, the Sena appeared undeterred by the backlash and vowed to continue its anti-Pakistani protests in different forms.