After protest over Pakistanis, Shiv Sena opens its arms for Malala Yousafzai

Updated: Wednesday, October 21, 2015, 18:50 [IST]

Mumbai, Oct 21: After leading protests over the book launch of the former Pakistani foreign minister, Shiv Sena on Wednesday, Oct 21, opened its arms for the neighbouring country's renowned teen activist Malala Yousafzai.

"If Malala comes, Shiv Sena will welcome her. She is not like Kasuri who supported terrorism against India", Sanjay Raut, the spokesperson of Shiv Sena told mediapersons.

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"I want to tell all peace makers in India that the Shiv Sena and Saamna has appreciated the efforts and the struggle carried by Malala against terrorism in Pakistan", he further said.

"People like Kasuri and Hafiz Saeed spread terrorism and violence against India whereas there is a small girl like Malala, is still fighting against terrorism and has won the Nobel Peace Prize for the same," he added.

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"So, if she is welcomed in India, it would send a great message to all Pakistan lovers in India that terrorism should not be promoted, instead it should be dealt with harshly," he said.

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In the last few weeks, Sena has hit national headlines with its protest against Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali's concerts in Pune and Mumbai (which were consequently cancelled), ink attack on former BJP ideologue Sudheendra Kulkarni and opposition to release of former Pakistan foreign minister Khurshid Kasuri's book, as well as protest at BCCI office over the planned visit by Pakistan Cricket Board chief.

[Choose books over bullets, says Nobel Peace Prize laureate Malala Yousafzai]

An editorial "Shiv Sena madness" in The News International on Tuesday said the threat posed by "the hard-line right-wing Shiv Sena group seems to be growing into a monster that may prove very hard to control".