Smearing Kulkarni with paint is not right: Kiren Rijiju

Said there was ways to protest in a civilised society

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju today disapproved of Shiv Sena activists smearing black paint on Sudheendra Kulkarni saying everyone has the freedom to protest but not physically harm anyone.

"This is about mentality...In this country, everyone has a fundamental right to protest but there has to be a way to protest, not physically harm anyone. This is not right," he told reporters here when asked to comment on the attack on Kulkarni by Shiv Sena activists in Mumbai.

The Minister of State for Home said acts like smearing black paint on someone's face should not have happened as there are ways to protest in a civilised society.

"Sabhya samaj main virodh karne ka tarika hote hain (There are ways to protest in a civilised society). Our Constitution allows us to hold protest in a proper manner."

"The Constitution has given right to everyone to protest in a democratic way. One should only lodge protest under the law and this will act to strengthen our democracy," he said on the sidelines of a BSF event here.

Rijiju said law and order is a state subject and in a case where a foreigner has come to India for unveiling of a book but has not acted against the country, such an act should not have happened.

Observer and Research Foundation (ORF) chairman Kulkarni's face was smeared with black paint by Shiv Sena activists for refusing to cancel former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri's book launch in Mumbai.

The incident occurred in front of Kulkarni's house near Kings circle in suburban Matunga at around 9.30 a.m. About 5-7 unknown persons shouted some slogans and threw colour or ink on him, police said.