New Delhi, 12 Oct 2015: The Congress on Monday condemned the paint/ink attack allegedly by Shiv Sainiks on Sudheendra Kulkarni, the organiser of former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri’s book release in Mumbai.
“The Indian National Congress unequivocally condemns the attack by Shiv Sena on Sudheendra Kulkarni. If Shiv Sena wants to give an answer to Pakistan, they should go to the border and fight them,” Congress spokesperson Ajoy Kumar told the media here.
Barely hours ahead of the launch of former Pakistani minister’s book, Kulkarni, a former journalist and chief of think tank Observer Research Foundation, alleged he was abused and attacked with paint by suspected Shiv Sainiks in Mumbai.
The Congress demanded a “strong” intervention by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis into the incident. “It is clear that it is a fixed match between BJP and Shiv Sena. We want to say that the Maharashtra chief minister should strongly intervene in this incident,” the spokesperson said.
“When the President of India gave some lessons of tolerance to the prime minister, the PM was forced to say something… We have seen how the renowned ghazal exponent Ghulam Ali was stopped from performing in Mumbai,” the Congress leader said.
B-Town condemns Shiv Sena attack
Mumbai: Members of the film fraternity including Mahesh Bhatt, Rishi Kapoor and Sona Mohapatra have strongly criticised the paint/ink attack on former journalist Sudheendra Kulkarni for organising a former Pakistan minister’s book launch here.
Rishi Kapoor said that the act is “unpardonable” while Bhatt noted that it not only brings shame on to the society, but also “debunks our claims to be a democracy”.
The stir created after the cancellation of Pakistani ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali’s concert is yet to die down when some suspected Shiv Sainiks here attacked and abused Kulkarni for launch of a book by former Pakistani foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri.
The incident happened when Kulkarni was leaving his home in Sion, south-central Mumbai. A group of around a dozen alleged Shiv Sena activists accosted him, and allegedly poured black paint/ink on him.
Rishi Kapoor tweeted: “Excuse me! This is ridiculous and unpardonable. And to address a media conference in this manner? Politics!”
Filmmaker Bhatt shared: “The attack on Sudhendra Kulkarni ridicules our constitution, shames our police, and debunks our claims to be a democracy.”
Singer Sona Mohapatra, famous for tracks like “Ambarsariya” and “Bedardi raja”, took to Twitter to express her thoughts.
She shared: “Dear Shiv Sena, Throwing paint on Sudheerna Kulkarni doesn’t make you patriotic. If you remotely care, help fight our biggest enemy – poverty.”
Musician Shaan noted, “It’s all getting ridiculous now”, and actress and host Mini Mathur felt all these incidents are leaving a bad impression on children.
“Intolerance at its peak! Guys don’t wreck our country totally yet.. Let our kids at least get an idea of what it was,” Mini shared.
Dia Mirza appreciated Kulkarni for not bogging down by the attack, and giving them back strongly.
She said: “Kudos #SudheendraKulkarni for not allowing intimidation and threat to weaken your choice.”
Actor-comedian Vir Das shared: “You think there’s anyway to get some Mumbai buildings to write a book about Indo-Pak relations so that the Sena comes over and paints them?”.
And filmmaker Onir asked, “Where are we headed? #Shameful ‘Fascist, Desi Taliban’: Paint Attack on Sudheendra Kulkarni Slammed”.
“Masaan” fame director Neeraj Ghaywan shared an image of Kulkarni and said: “And he is wearing the colours of our flag”. The attire Kulkarni was wearing at the time of the paint attack had the three colours of the Indian flag.
(IANS)
