Shiv Sena members in Mumbai on Monday attacked Sudheendra Kulkarni, chairman of Observer and Research Foundation as they were organizing book launch of former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri. Kulkarni said to the media that “some Shiv Sena members barged into his society and smeared his face with black paint and threatened him not to go ahead with Kasuri’s book launch event.”

He also said that “As soon as I got out of my building, a group of Shiv Sainiks stopped me and asked me to come out of the car and smeared black paint on me. They shouted slogans and threatened me saying we had ordered you no to go ahead with the book launch.” However, he added that “despite the incident, the book launch event will be held as scheduled.”

Also, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ensured the full security to the book launch but he also said that anti- India propaganda will not be allowed. Devendra in a statement said that “For all foreigners, diplomats or foreign dignitaries who are allowed on the proper visa in our country it is the responsibility of our government to provide them security. Hence, Mr.Kasuri and the program will be provided total security. But this doesn’t mean that we endorse all views expressed in the program. No anti-India propaganda will be tolerated through any such program if found so the organizers would be held responsible.”

Here are the tweets how people reacted to the incident.

 

In this incident, @SudheenKulkarni comes across as brave, the Shiv Sainiks bigoted, and @Dev_Fadnavis as two-faced: http://t.co/JVw2XF8tyh

— Ramachandra Guha (@Ram_Guha) October 12, 2015

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

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

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

Paint on Sudheendra Kulkarni’s face will go, but by carrying on with presscon, he has put buckets of permanent paint on faces of the goons — Abhijit Majumder (@abhijitmajumder) 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

Why sympathise with @SudheenKulkarni when he’s clearly milking his situation? #SudheendraKulkarni #KasuriBoycott pic.twitter.com/tKS3EtEBGA

— Yagyaseni (@desi_brat) October 12, 2015

Shiv Sena and the BJP give communal politics a colorful dimension; saffron, blue, …. #SudheendraKulkarni

— Sanjay Jha (@JhaSanjay) October 12, 2015

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

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

Outrageous attack on Sudheendra Kulkarni by Sena lumpens for hosting Kasuri. Kulkarni not wiping off the black face! pic.twitter.com/XO4zYCDWAK

— Malini Parthasarathy (@MaliniP) October 12, 2015

Strongly condemn the attack on @SudheenKulkarni in Mumbai. Known him as a great intellectual,a fierce patriot,an admirer of Gandhi &Vajpayee

— Deepender S Hooda (@DeependerSHooda) October 12, 2015

#sudheendrakulkarni‘s face blackened with paint is the image of extreme intolerance. Maharashtra CM has to crack the whip on #ShivSena

— T S Sudhir (@Iamtssudhir) October 12, 2015

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

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 Mumbai’s Worli area.