When Bal Thackeray went out of his way: BJP's jibe to Sena on Kashmiri Pandits

Kashmiri Pandit Rohit Kachroo and others were stopped by the Pune Police as they wanted to attend the event ‘The Kashmir Files - Ek Ardhyasatya’ to protest and to present their side of the story.

BJP national general secretary CT Ravi reminded the Shiv Sena that Bal Thackeray was one of those politicians who went out of his way to support Kashmiri Pandits in 1990 when they were exiled from the Valley, after it was alleged that the Pune Police stopped two members of the Kashmiri Pandit from attending an event on The Kashmir Files, the movie directed by Vivek Agnihotri.

BJP said it is unfortunate that Bal Thackeray's son is not even allowing Kashmiri Pandits to protest. 

Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday tweeted that Kashmiri Pandit Rohit Kachroo was detained by the police when he was on his way to attend an event titled "The Kashmir Files - Ek Ardhyasatya". It was organised by Pune's Yuvak Kranti Dal and the Kashmiri Pandit community members wanted to attend the event to highlight their side. They were not invited speakers of the event. The Pune Police said the members were stopped from attending the event in a bid to prevent any law and order situation.

"One more example of how Thackeray Sarkar is eager to fast enrol in the list of pseudo-seculars. Shocking that voices of Kashmiri Pandits are being shut in Pune under Uddhav’s regime. Absolute Shame!" Fadnavis tweeted. On Thursday evening, Fadnavis informed that Rohit Kachroo was released by the police.

"Not just this time, but we shall continue to raise voice against such injustice against our Kashmiri Pandit brothers by MVA Govt," Fadnavis said.

The incident took place at a time the Sena and the BJP are at the loggerheads, with Sena leaders on the radar of ED, the income tax department and Sena alleging Maharashtra BJP leaders of a ₹50 crore scam over INS Vikrant.

Taking a jibe at Uddhav Thackeray, BJP's CT Ravi said it is unfortunate that Bal Thackeray's son is not allowing Kashmiri Pandits to even protest. "Shiv Sena seems to be competing with CONgress to be more Secular," CT Ravi wrote.