Shiv Sena activists today allegedly smeared ink on the face of Observer Research Foundation (ORF) chairman Sudheendra Kulkarni for organising the launch of a book by Pakistan’s former foreign minister, Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, in Mumbai.
“Shiv Sena activists threw ink at me and smeared my face. They abused me,” Kulkarni alleged and said that 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. The Shiv Sena had demanded that the event be scrapped and had threatened to disrupt it.
Maharashtra’s Home Department, headed by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, had, however, assured the organisers of full security.
Kulkarni had met Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray at the latter’s residence ‘Matoshree’ late last night, but left without getting any assurance from him.
However, the Sena appears likely to withdraw its opposition to event after Fadnavi met Thackeray, NDTV reports.
The Shiv Sena had previously threatened to disrupt Ghulam Ali’s concerts, leading to the cancellation of the Pakistani ghazal singer’s events in Mumbai and Pune last week.
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