Nainital (Uttarakhand): Amid the controversy over former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid's book 'Sunrise over Ayodhya', the Nainital residence of the Congress leader was vandalized on Monday. Following the incident, police have reached the spot. It is believed that the act of vandalization was performed by the activists of Hindu organizations.
DGI (Kumaun) Neelesh Anand told the news agency that several people have been booked in connection with the incident. "Rakesh Kapil and 20 others have been booked. Strict action will be taken against perpetrators," he said. Sharing pictures and videos on Facebook, Khurshid wrote, "I hoped to open these doors to my friends who have left this calling card. Am I still wrong to say this cannot be Hinduism?"
Soon after the incident, Khurshid posted a video on his Facebook account in which flames, charred doors, and shattered window panes have been seen. In the video two people can also be seen dousing out the fire.
Sharing the video, the leader wrote "I hoped to open these doors to my friends who have left this calling card. Am I still wrong to say this cannot be Hinduism, So such is a debate now Shame is too ineffective a word. Besides I still hope that we can reason together one day and agree to disagree if not more."
As per media persons on the ground, some people also raised slogans and flags outside Khurshid's residence today. Condemning the incident, senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor termed it is "disgraceful" and called Khurshid a "statesman who has done India proud in international forums."
"This is disgraceful. Salman Khurshid is a statesman who has done India proud in international forums and always articulated a moderate, centrist, inclusive vision of the country domestically. The mounting levels of intolerance in our politics should be denounced by those in power," Tharoor tweeted.