Unfazed by the attack on his house by Shiv Sangram activists, Loksatta editor Kumar Ketkar on Thursday said he stood by the opinion in his editorial about the statue of the Maratha warrior Chhatrapati Shivaji.

Speaking to the media after the attack, Ketkar said "the people who attacked me must not have read the editorial. I never said anything denigrating to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and I stand by my opinion on the proposed statue."

"All of Maharashtra respects Shivaji Maharaj and the column is not defamatory in nature, I have merely questioned the importance being given to the statue of Shivaji while the state has other problems to tackle," Ketkar said.

Ketkar also said he knew Shiv Sangram president Vinayak Mete and had nothing against him.

Mete is a former Nationalist Congress Party legislator and has claimed responsibility for the attack.Seven persons were arrested in connection with the incident and have been booked under non-bailable offences, police said.
 
About 70 activists pelted stones damaging window panes after making an unsuccesful attempts to ransack the house on Thursday morning.