The attack on the Chairman of Observer Research Sudhendra Kulkarni and a former Sangh parivar ideologue by goons from Shiv Sena is not only condemnable but also goes against the very idea of India. While in a democracy, dissent is encouraged and India has embraced those expressing dissent but the brazen manner in which the Sena has been allowed to take law into its own hands speaks volumes of the inability of the Maharashtra government to protect one of the Indian citizens who is a known intellectual of the country and is known to speak his mind.
PAKISTAN IS ONLY A FIG LEAF
While every patriotic Indian has a problem with terrorism fomented by Pakistan but the manner of protest has to be civilized. The act of painting Mr Kulkarni black just because he is hosting the former Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri for a book launch is not because of patriotism, but the fear that Sena has lost political space to the BJP in Maharashtra and it desperately needs such incidents to embed its brand of politics in Maharashtra.
WHY THE GOVT MUST ACT
Once a person has been granted a visa, the government of India has ascertained that he doesn’t pose any threat to India’s national interest and this case Mr Kasuri. So if the Sena has a problem then it should have that with the central government and lodge their protest their, but intimidating a common citizen only reinforces the argument that there is no rule of law. With senior sena leaders claiming on television there is more to follow there is enough ground for the Mumbai police to take action against them and the government must demonstrate political will.
I will again reiterate that these incidents bring to the fore the intolerant side of India and are damaging the whole idea of India.