Sudheendra Kulkarni, who is organising Khurshi Mohmud Kasuri’s book launch event in Mumbai, had black oil paint thrown on his face outside his home on Monday.
Mr. Kulkarni, chairman of Observer Research Foundation (ORF), has alleged that the attackers were from the Shiv Sena.
"Around 10-15 activists of Shiv Sena gheraoed me today morning outside my home. They abused me and called me anti-national and threatened me. They threw black paint on me after abusing me and chanting slogans, " he said.
Mr. Kasuri will launch his memoir, Neither a Hawk nor a Dove: An Insider’s Account of Pakistan’s Foreign Policy, at the Hall of Culture, Nehru Centre. The launch will be followed by a panel discussion in which historian A.G. Noorani, actor Naseeruddin Shah and senior journalist and former Kashmir negotiator Dileep Padgaonkar are scheduled to participate.
ORF to ahead with launch
“Kasuri's book launch is an attempt to improve Indo-Pak ties…we are not frightened by these acts of Shiv Sena, they do not bring any good image to our country,” Mr. Kulkarni said.
"We are equally against the terrorism from across the border and we share the same level of patriotism as any other from this country. But this should not stop people from both countries interacting with each other," he added.
The organisers have said that the event would go ahead as planned.
Shiv Sena leader Ashish Chemburkar had threatened to stage a “Sena-style” protest against the visit. The Sena had earlier forced the cancellation of Pakistani singer Ghulam Ali’s musical tribute to ghazal maestro Jagjit Singh.
Mr. Kulkarni on Sunday held a meeting with Sena president Uddhav Thackeray, seeking his cooperation in organising the programme. However, the outcome of the meeting remained inconclusive.