After Ghulam Ali, Shiv Sena now demands cancellation of ex-Pakistan minister Kasuri's book launch

After ghazal maestro Ghulam Ali, Shiv Sena on 10 October asked management of a city-based convention centre in Mumbai to call off former Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri's book launch function.

Citing the neighbouring country's support to terrorism as the reason behind the opposition, the party warned that the function will be disrupted if not cancelled.

Sena vibhag pramukh Ashish Chemburkar submitted a letter to director of Nehru Planetarium here, demanding that the event be cancelled and organisers informed accordingly. "The people at Nehru Planetarium where the event is scheduled, told us they will try to cancel it," Chemburkar said.

"We have informed them that we will disrupt the event if it is not cancelled," he said.

The Observer Research Foundation Mumbai, which is organising the event, on Friday approached Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, seeking "adequate security" to Kasuri after cancellation of Ghulam Ali's concert in the city.

Kasuri will launch the book 'Neither a Hawk nor a Dove: An Insider's Account of Pakistan's Foreign Policy' , in Mumbai on 12 October at the Hall of Culture, Nehru Centre, Worli.

"Our purpose in organising this function is to make our own humble contribution to the much-needed normalisation of relations between India and Pakistan. Kasuri's widely appreciated book shows his strong commitment to peaceful and cooperative ties between our two countries," ORF Chairman Sudheendra Kulkarni had said.

"The launch of the book will be accompanied by a panel discussion, in which the speakers are: AG Noorani, eminent jurist, historian and author; Naseeruddin Shah, renowned film and theatre personality; and Dileep Padgaonkar, eminent journalist and columnist," Kulkarni, who will moderate the talk, had said.

During his stay in Mumbai between 11 and 14 October, Kasuri, besides attending the book launch function, will also visit Mani Bhavan and Jinnah House "if possible", he said. Kasuri will also meet veteran movie star Dilip Kumar at his residence.

In a letter to Fadnavis, Kulkarni asked the state government to provide adequate and fool-proof security to Kasuri during his stay here.

Security for Kasuri has become all the more necessary in view of the condemnable episode a few days ago when a concert in Mumbai by Ghulam Ali was called off because of the Shiv Sena's threat to the organisers of the event, he had said.

-PTI