Shiv Sena furore at pro-Pakistan press meet

Contending that no Pakistani would be allowed to enter Mumbai till the neighbouring country stops terrorist activities, Shiv Sena activists on Tuesday created a ruckus while Observer Research Foundation (ORF) chairman Sudheendra Kulkarni was conducting a press briefing.

“While I was conducting the press conference, Sena workers barged in and created a ruckus shouting slogans like Sena zindabad and Pakistan murdabad. Also, when I was going back after conducting the press conference, they tried to hit my car,” Mr Kulkarni told reporters.

“They say that they won’t allow any Pakistani to enter Mumbai unless the country stops its terrorist activities. But, we say not all Pakistanis are terrorists. There is a strong section there that condemns terrorism and are victims of terrorism themselves,” he said.

He further said as part of the ‘Tasveer-e-Karachi Tasveer-e-Mumbai’ project, five photographers from both countries would visit the other as messengers of peace. “This is an example of photography for peace. Terrorists shoot with guns while photographers shoot with cameras. The Sena should see the difference because Uddhav Thackeray himself is a very good photographer. He should honour his own photographic fraternity,” he said.

Mr Kulkarni said that the government of India, security forces and the Prime Minister was capable of responding effectively to the threat of terrorism. “People of both countries want to live in peace. This can happen with more people coming into contact so the constituency of peace and friendship becomes strong,” he added.

They have every right to protest but every political party should also follow the rule of law. Nobody can take the law into their own hands and commit violence,” Mr Kulkarni said.

Meanwhile, defending the protests, Sena spokesperson Manisha Kayande said there are jawans who were dying at the border while Pakistan was openly conducting terrorist attacks, and thus the protests were justified.

“While the country is reeling under terrorism, he (Mr Kulkarni) invites them. Last time as well he did this and he was given protection. Why does the BJP not tell him to stop this Who is behind this man Why does he not go to the border and tell terrorists to stop terrorism and make peace with them ” she said.

Sena activists had, last year, smeared Mr Kulkarni’s face with black ink when he went ahead with the launch of a book written by former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri in spite of the party’s warnings.