Shiv Sena is desi Taliban: From Advani to Digvijaya, leaders slam ink attack on Sudheendra Kulkarni

Hours before the launch of former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri’s book in Mumbai, Shiv Sena activists attacked chairman of the Observer Research Foundation and the organiser of the event Sudheendra Kulkarni, and smeared his face with black paint. The incident took place after Kulkarni’s refusal to cancel launch of Neither a Hawk Nor a Dove: An Insider’s Account of Pakistan’s Foreign Relations. “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 ORF, a think-tank, will go ahead with the planned book launch by Kasuri later on Monday 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. 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 at the root”. Social media too slammed Shiv Sena for the ‘pathetic’ act. [caption id=“attachment_2465250” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Sudheendra Kulkarni after the Shiv Sena activists attacked him. Image courtesy: IBNLive[/caption] Senior BJP veteran LK Advani slammed the party for the ‘condemnable act’ and said, “I strongly condemn whosoever has done this. If you don’t like someone or his opinion, showing intolerance is wrong. This is not good for the nation. Adopting the path of violence is completely unacceptable.” Kulkarni, who has served as speechwriter for BJP veterans Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Advani, had met Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at the latter’s residence ‘Matoshree’ in Mumbai late on Sunday night, but failed to get any assurances from him. Shaina NC, BJP’s national executive member said, “There is no reason to agitate in this manner in a democratic state. Not sure if these are Sainiks.” “Black day for Mumbai. Utterly shameful especially for a global city. Shiv Sena vandals in cahoot with BJP,” said Congress MP Milind Deora.

I condemn attack on Sudheendra Kulkarni.Everybody has right to express his opinion in a democratic manner but not goondagardi.

— Sushil Kumar Modi (मोदी का परिवार ) (@SushilModi) October 12, 2015

Strongly condemn most dastardly attack on Sudheendra Kulkarni by Shiv Sainiks Udhav Thakre must control his goons Full support to Sudheendra

— Digvijaya Singh (@digvijaya_28) October 12, 2015

More from Politics

Is Shashi Tharoor’s breakup with Congress inevitable? ‘Naxalism will end in India by March 2026’: Amit Shah at CRPF Raising Day parade

Get Inked..... I think Shiv Sena misunderstood the meaning. #SudheendraKulkarni

— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) October 12, 2015

Sanjay Jha was also quoted as saying, “Mumbai; have lived here for many decades. A city that encapsulates free-spirit, creativity, dreams, reduced to a mindless bigoted trash-can.”

#Pakistankachamcha seems to be the tag for anyone who doesn't want to bomb Pakistan back in to the dark ages.

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) October 12, 2015

Senior journalists like Rajdeep Sardesai and Barkha Dutt also tweeted out and supported Kulkarni whole-heartedly.

Black paint attack on @SudheenKulkarni for organising Kasuri book release. Truly Shameful. What has happened to my M'tra @AUThackeray ?

— Rajdeep Sardesai (@sardesairajdeep) October 12, 2015

Dear @AUThackeray its no point championing night-life for Mumbai if you cant stand up against the hooligans who attacked @SudheenKulkarni

— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) October 12, 2015

Suggestion:Let writers show Sudheendra Kulkarni real solidarity by voluntarily inking own http://t.co/TXtUdY10T3 is the new statement.

— Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa) October 12, 2015

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.” To which, Barkha Dutt tweeted saying:

Sena says the black ink on @SudheenKulkarni is "jawanon ka khoon". I know & love our Fauj. Not a single soldier would defend hooliganism

— barkha dutt (@BDUTT) October 12, 2015

Raut added, “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.” 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. Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi claimed incidents of “intolerance” have risen over the last 18 months after the BJP came to power. “I cannot find words strong enough to condemn the incident. It is not a case of Kulkarni or Kasuri. It is the case of liberal democratic ethos of India…. Almost every day, we are witnessing such incidents.. they are creating mutual antagonism. There is a clear connection with the party in power, with a remote control in Nagpur. “The only person who can stop this is the Prime Minister and, unfortunately, he keeps silence on these issues,” he said. CPI leader D Raja said that Sena’s actions were “highly deplorable”. “Shiv Sena should not resort to such politics which is not in line with the Constitution. Such actions show intolerance and also that it is against any effort to build good relations with Pakistan,” he said. Congress leader Digvijaya Singh slammed the attack on Kulkarni saying “such intolerance in India can’t be tolerated. First Ghulam Ali concert and now Kasuri’s book launch, we don’t want a Desi Taliban in India.” In a series of tweets, he said “all Liberals who are against such Talibani Hooliganism” must come out to support the book launch. Singh said he strongly condemns the “most dastardly attack on Sudheendra Kulkarni by Shiv Sainiks” and Uddhav Thakrey “must control his goons”. After Sena’s threat, Maharashtra’s Home department, headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, had assured the organiser of full security. Sudheendra Kulkari thanked the chief minister saying he had taken a “princpled and firm stand”.

I profusely thank MaharashtraCM @Dev_Fadnavis for his principled & firm stand against #ShivSena threat to disurpt #Kasuri booklaunch #Mumbai

— Sudheendra Kulkarni (@SudheenKulkarni) October 12, 2015

The Sena, which shares power with the BJP in Maharashtra, has written to the director of Worli’s Nehru Centre to cancel the event because of the Pakistan connection. The Sena also hit out at parties who attacked the party for the incident. “The stooges of Pakistan are upset over the incident. Why doesn’t their blood boil, when our soldiers’ blood is spilled and innocents lose their live in terror attacks?” asked Sena leader Raut. AAP leader Preeti Sharma Menon demanded the immediate arrest of those involved in the attack on Kulkarni. “It is a shame that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has totally failed to provide law and order in the state capital. BJP’s coalition partner Shiv Sena has started a reign of cultural terrorism in Mumbai akin to the Taliban. They threatened the organisers of the Ghulam Ali show and got it cancelled a few days back,” she said. With inputs from PTI