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Suspected Shiv Sainiks Smear Black Ink On Organiser Sudheendra Kulkarni's Face On Day Of Kasuri Book Launch

Suspected Shiv Sainiks Smear Black Ink On Organiser Sudheendra Kulkarni's Face On Day Of Kasuri Book Launch

In another instance of hooliganism that will add to the tension after rising incidents of intolerance across India, BJP member and the chairman of foreign policy think tank Observer and Research Foundation, Sudheendra Kulkarni, was on Monday attacked by suspected members of the Shiv Sena who smeared black ink on his face, according to reports.

The ORF is organising the launch of the book of former Pakistan Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri. The ulra-nationalist Shiv Sena has been ptotesting any cultural association with Pakistan which it accuses of supporting terrorists and waging a war on Indian soil through repeated attacks.

Kulkarni told CNN-IBN that the book launch will go ahead as planned despite the incident.

#BREAKING | Kasuri's book launch in Mumbai this evening will not be cancelled: Sudheendra Kulkarni to CNN-IBN pic.twitter.com/eyFJu7xxwh

— CNN-IBN News (@ibnlive) October 12, 2015

Kulkarni, a BJP member who has served as the speechwriter for BJP veterans Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani, even met Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray at the latter's residence, Matoshree, late last night, PTI reported. It is understood that the meeting was unproductive and Kulkarni left Matoshree without getting any assurance from the Sena leader whose party had threatened to disrupt the event.

The Sena had also forced the cancellation of Pakistan ghazal singer Ghulam Ali's concert in Mumbai and Pune recently.

"Paint on Kulkarni's face symbolizes blood of our Soldiers, proud of party workers who did this," the Sena told news channels.

This is what the #ShivSena has done to @SudheenKulkarni in Mumbai over a book; this is what we are coming to. pic.twitter.com/eqQJA7XuRi

— Sankarshan Thakur (@SankarshanT) October 12, 2015

Threats to disrupt this program in "#ShivSena style" are condemnable. Maharashtra Govt must provide extra security. 1 pic.twitter.com/e9tmf7BPou

— Sudheendra Kulkarni (@SudheenKulkarni) October 11, 2015

The Sena, which shares power with the BJP in Maharashtra, has written to the director of Worli's Nehru Centre, the launch venue, to cancel the show because of the Pakistan connection. Maharashtra's home department, headed by BJP chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, has assured the organisers of full security cover.

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 PM in Worli area. (With inputs from PTI)

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.