MUMBAI: Organizer of book launching ceremony of ex-Pakistan minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri in Mumbai was attacked with black paint by Shiv Sainiks. He is going to organise the event regardless of Shiv Sena’s threats to cancel it.
‘The Shiv Sainiks attacked me outside my home. Right as I was leaving they smeared black ink on me. I was abused by them,’ Kulkarni said, alleging that eight to 10 Sena activists were involved.
The Sena has said it will not allow Kasuri’s book launch. The party which co-governs Maharashtra with the BJP has blamed Pakistan’s support to terror as the reason.
Last week, the Sena’s objections led to organisers cancelling legendary Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali’s show on Friday despite the BJP and Chief Minister Mr Fadnavis assuring that there would be no ban.
Kulkarni, whose Observer Research Foundation, a think tank, has organized Mr Kasuri’s book launch in Mumbai, said after the paint attack: ‘The Shiv Sena has absolutely no power to impose such a ban. We will not cancel the book launch. We have taken a principled stand.’
Kasuri, he said, had already come to Mumbai for the launch of his book ‘Neither a Hawk, Nor a Dove: An Insider Account of Pakistan’s Foreign Policy’.
A former BJP advisor, Mr Kulkarni said: ‘Na dhamki se, na sau bandook se, na goli se…baat banegi boli se (Not threats, nor bullets, only dialogue will help).’
Mr Kulkarni had asked Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for adequate security for Kasuri.
