Shiv Sena’s ugly side, smears black paint on Kasuri’s book launch organiser Sudheendra Kulkarni

The Shiv Sena has once again made its ally in Maharashtra, BJP, uneasy, as its Sainiks attacked and smeared  with black paint Sudheendra Kulkarni, a former BJP ideologue who is organising the launch of Pakistan’s former foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri’s book. After being attacked by ink, they reportedly abused him.

Unfazed by the threat, Kulkarni had said, the event would continue as scheduled despite threats from the Sena. 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’ at 5.30 p.m, in Mumbai’s Worli area.

Kulkarni, Chairman of Observer and Research Foundation, a foreign policy think tank, had met Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray at the latter’s residence, Matoshree. It is understood that the meeting was futile and Kulkarni left Matoshree without getting any assurance from the Sena leader, whose party’s threat to disrupt Pakistan ghazal singer Ghulam Ali’s concerts, led to cancellation of his events in Mumbai, and Pune, recently.

“I have requested Uddhav Thackeray that Shiv Sena should not oppose the book launch event. I also told him that the event will proceed despite Sena’s threat,” Kulkarni said .

Kulkarni has served as speechwriter for BJP veterans Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and L K Advani, and was a key aide to both BJP leaders.  The Shiv Sena has threatened to disrupt the launch of Kasuri’s book “Neither a Hawk nor a Dove: An Insider’s Account of Pakistan’s Foreign Policy” .

Kulkarni said, Kasuri is his guest and he had taken a principled stand to go ahead with the book launch. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis has given complete security for the event.

Kulkarni had tweeted that the conflict between India and Pakistan can be resolved only through dialogue. He said the book launch was a small endeavour to keep the process of dialogue alive.