The picture of Sudheendra Kulkarni, with his face blackened, releasing the book 'Neither A Hawk Nor A Dove' by former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri is a symbol of defiance against a political party that has been pushed to the political fringe in Maharashtra. It is picture of courage in the face of fire from a bunch of cowards who are too lazy to articulate their view on the subject, if they have one. It is a picture of determination in the face of attack. It is a picture of encouragement to others who also detest the violent tactics of a political party that has run out of ideas and options. It is the picture of a brave man who stood up for what he believed -- freedom from fear.
The book release was organised by Observer Research Foundation (ORF) which is headed by Kulkarni who not only kept his appointment but even addressed the media with ink smeared all over his face and head. Public ire over the incident forced the Devendra Fadnavis government to indulge in some back channel negotiations with the Shiv Sena and provide enough security cover to ensure that the event went off without a hitch. BJP leader L K Advani condemned the attack and labelled the Sena as 'desi' Taliban. The comparison might seem a little harsh, but Advani probably used it to highlight the intolerant stance taken by the Sena.
The Shiv Sena is of the view that any event featuring Pakistan-based dignitaries would not be allowed as long as Indian soldiers are being killed on the border. Prior to the book launch, a concert featuring Pakistan ghazal singer Ghulam Ali in Mumbai was called off after threats from the Sena. The real issue at hand concerns the stance of the Sena vis-a-vis national foreign policy. The Union government, despite provocation from Pakistan, continues to engage in a dialogue. National foreign policy is not directed against Pakistan dignitaries visiting India and places no restriction on events involving artists from Pakistan. In that sense, the stance of the Shiv Sena is out of sync with foreign policy even though it is part of the Union government. It's policy is directed locally at either giving Sainiks something to root for or maintaining a hardline image to prevent ideological merger with its larger partner, the BJP.
That apart, it makes no sense to blacken Kulkarni's face because he chose to release Kasuri's book in the country. On the contrary the book ought to be read by all those who wish to understand the complexities of Indo-Pak ties, if at all the book throws light on such matter. The assault on Kulkarni has brought the book more publicity and Kasuri might be secretly happy with the turn of events.
The Sena must understand that India is large enough to accommodate divergent views even if some of those views emerge from Pakistan. The Sena, must not forget that the violent tactics of the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena brought it political ruin, and if it wishes to retain its premier position in the state it must curtail the violent streak of its members and focus on state policy.
