AMN

Shiv Sena smears black paint on Sudheendra Kulkarni’s face, protest Pak book launch

Political leaders across the party line have condemned Shiv Sena’s act of smearing black ink on Sudheendra Kulkarni’s face for organising book launch of former Pakistan foreign minister in Mumbai.

Reacting to the smearing black ink on BJP leader Sudheendra Kulkarni , Senior BJP leader L K Advani said there must be place for a different point of view in democracy.

Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju today said everyone has a right to protest but there should be no physical harm done to anybody.

The Congress has criticised Shiv Sena and said Maharashtra Chief Minister should take strict action against those fringe elements who indulged in the shameful act.

Aam Aadmi Party also came down heavily on the Maharashtra government for not providing adequate protection to Sudheendra Kulkarni despite the Chief Minister’s assurance.

Reacting to it, senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut said smearing ink is a very mild form of democratic protest.

Meanwhile, Talking to media persons in Mumbai, Mr. Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri expressed unhappiness over the incident and said that he has come to India only to spread the message of peace and love.

Mr. Khurshid also opined that there should be more interaction between India and Pakistan and the intelligence of the people of both nations must not be underestimated.

Earlier, Kulkarni alleged that Shiv Sena activists threw ink at him and smeared his face, adding they also abused him. He said that his Observer and Research Foundation (ORF), a foreign policy think-tank, will hold Kasuri’s book launch as planned later today.

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’ in Mumbai. Sena had demanded that the event be scrapped and had threatened to disrupt it