Earlier this month, Shiv Sena activists had thrice targeted events featuring Pakistani artistes or officials.
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According to NDTV report, around 5-6 young Shiv Sainiks climbed atop the stage at an open air theatre in Gurgaon, where a group of seven Pakistani actors were staging a play “Banjh” (infertile). Protesters removed Pakistani flags, vandalized the stage and threatened the organizers.
The Gurgaon Police, on the other hand, denied that they had been alerted by the civic body about the “sensitivity of the play” and the fact that it was being performed by a Pakistani group. Although two policemen had been assigned to provide security for the play, they were absent from the scene at the time of the incident, organisers said.
“Baanjh” playwright Afzaal Nabi said, “We came here with a message of peace”. The play resumed after the brief delay and concluded without any interruptions. Actors in the play said people in the audience had been quick to protect the actors from the protestors. Actor Zoya Qazi said “The support made us happy”. He said the organisers neither obtained permission for the play nor intimated the local police about it. We have got to know of the registration number of the vehicle used by the trouble makers.
Activists from the Hindu right-wing party also stormed the BCCI office in Mumbai and forced cancellation of talks between Pakistan Crocket Baord chairman Shahryar Khan and Indian cricket board chief Shashank Manohar.
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Kulkarni’s reaction comes just days after the Shiv Sainiks had blackened his face for organising the launch of a book by former Pakistan minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri in Mumbai.
