‘Party leaders yet to read my book’: Jaswant

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Jaswant says his book describes Jinnah’s misdeeds in addition to praiseworthy actions

By Iftikhar Gilani

NEW DELHI: Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh said on Wednesday that people who had not even read “Jinnah - India, Partition, Independence”, had cancelled his membership.

An emotional Singh told journalists he had been concerned the book might set Pakistan on fire and it was unfortunate that it had instead propelled India into trouble. He said the book described Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s misdeeds in addition to his praiseworthy actions, adding Jinnah was described as the perpetrator of the Calcutta killings. Describing his expulsion from the BJP as “saddening and regrettable”, Singh said he would not appeal the decision. He also made it clear that he did not regret writing the book and stood by whatever had been written on the “painful period of history”.

Singh said party President Rajnath Singh had called him in the morning and warned him against attending the brainstorming session. He said he had sent an advance copy of his book to Advani, adding there was no reaction of a possible expulsion at the time. The book, he said, was a personal viewpoint, and had nothing to do with the BJP.

Minor role: Meanwhile, sources said the Rashtriya Swayam Sewak Sangh (RSS) – the patron body of the BJP – had played a role in Singh’s exit. BJP President Rajnath Singh met RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and discussed some of the recent acts of “indiscipline” committed by Jaswant Singh. Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar had recently appointed Singh as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Lok Sabha on the BJP’s suggestion. The announcement has already been posted on the Lok Sabha website and the only way to resolve this matter is if Singh resigns as chairman of the PAC or from his Lok Sabha membership.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...009_pg7_37