Jaswant Singh Book on Jinnah

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-Pandyan+Aug 24 2009, 08:03 AM-->QUOTE(Pandyan @ Aug 24 2009, 08:03 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Just another BJP traitor.
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What he wrote was right, only problem is its Politically incorrect with respect to current politics of India. Don't forget, post Independence History of India is written by Nehru's stooges
Nehru was greedy for high position and Patel knew Muslim can't live with Hindus. So they both joined hands for separate nation. Patel objective was sincere. Nehru was typical elitist who believed in keeping power to himself.
Nehru picked socialist model for India, which is also first step towards dictatorship.
Jinnah, initially compromised but he was new elitist and very late he understood its better to go for separate nation under pressure from UP muslim elite class.

Jaswant is not traitor, but did a great service to nation.

Don't make opinion based on media remarks but think how Nehru operated, he used women, wine, and Gandhi to promote himself. <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->

[Guest]

http://deshgujarat.com/2009/08/21/dinsha-p...nt-singhs-book/

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Union Minister of State for Small and Medium Industries and Congress leader Dinsha Patel, who also heads the Sardar Patel Memorial Trust today demanded a nation-wide-ban on Jaswant Singh’s book for its “defamatory references” to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

<b>Jinnah was committed to undivided India: Sudarshan</b><!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Tue, Aug 25 01:17 AM

Indore, Aug 24 (PTI) Former RSS chief S Surdarshan here today said <b>Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah was committed to undivided India. On being asked if he considered the Muslim League leader secular, he said, "Jinnah had many facets.</b>

<b>He was once associated with Lokmanya Tilak and was totally committed to undivided India." On Jaswant Singh''s expulsion from BJP, he said, "it is an internal matter of the party.</b>

" When pointed out that the Sangh took a tough stand during his leadership when L K Advani made Jinnah-is-secular comment, Sudarshan said he gave clarifications on the matter later. Asked if he was satisfied with the clarification, he answered in the affirmative.
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[acharya]

Jaswant's 'Jinnah' popular in Kashmir



ISHFAQ AHMAD SHAH

Srinagar, Aug 24: Like elsewhere, in Kashmir too the expelled BJP leader Jashwant Singh's book Jinnah - India,
Partition, Independence is selling like proverbial hot cakes as since it has questioned the populist notions of Indian nationalist historiography.

So high is the demand for the book that questions the demonization of book Pakistan's Qaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, all long being blamed for the partition by India, that book-sellers are using currier services to ferry fresh stocks of the book here.

The book, which became the reason for the expulsion of BJP stalwart and India�¿½�¬�¢s former External Affairs minister Jashwant Singh from the party, is also critical of India�¿½�¬�¢s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru as well as Gandhi.

Gulshan Publishers, one of the premier bookshops at Srinagar's Residency Road ran out of stocks on the very first day it started sale of the book.

I have never ordered so many copies of any other book before. I got 125 in the first lot and have ordered 200 more now, but suppliers are saying that they too have run out of stock, says Aijaz Ahmed of Gulshan Publishers.

He said he had even used currier services for getting the books here to meet the demand, but supplies are not able to match the demand.

Another book seller, Sonaullah of Best Seller Book Shop too is amazed with the way the book is being sought. I have customers waiting even before I open my shop. Although I had not ordered the book so far but every now and then people are coming for the book, he said. Experts believe that the interest among the people here is because of the publicity and the disputed nature of Kashmir problem.

The book deals with the partition, and given that the Kashmir dispute also has its origin in partition the demand for the book is easily understood, said Arif Bashir, editor of a local daily.

He said that people of Kashmir have a great interest in the life of Jinnah. Jinnah besides being the founding father of Pakistan is also revered by people of Kashmir. There are still many people around who would talk about Jinnah's visit to Kashmir and his address to the people here, Arif said.

However Ashiq Ahmad, a businessman of Old city, said that he bought the book as it rubbishes the blame about Jinnah's beinmg communal. The book negates the Indian historians and leaders accusations including those of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah that Jinnah divided India on communal lines. Jinnah believed in religious tolerance, Ashiq says, adding that Jaswant Singh's book only buttresses his belief.

[acharya]

Jaswant Justifies Jinnah!
http://www.risingkashmir.com/?option=com_c...k=view&id=16147

Jinnah has the true stuff in him which made him the best ambassador of Hindu Muslim unity

Dr.Javid Iqbal
Jinnah was once asked, when and where did idea of Pakistan originate? He replied ‘with the entry of first Muslim into India’! It was perhaps a bitter answer from one, who had in 1905 accompanied Gokhle to England to plead the cause of ‘Self Rule’ during British general elections.
Gokhle commented “he has the true stuff in him and that freedom from all sectarian prejudice, which will make him the best ambassador of Hindu Muslim unity”! Gandhi was then involved with his Satyagarah in South Africa. He landed in India in 1915. The two did not click; an Indian tragedy indeed! The greatness of either cannot be denied, as Jaswant makes out;<span style='color:red'> both held unity of India dear, believing wisely that in India’s diversity has to be accepted and catered to, in order to work for its unity. Nehru and Patel differed on almost everything, yet they held that in a centralist India, diverse elements would eventually find their comfort level. </span>The assessment of Jaswant on Nehru and Patel is also aptly made up. The same approach marked Nehru’s approach to Kashmir, as the famed columnist A.G.Noorani has made out in his various columns on the subject. Kashmiris would eventually reconcile, seemed to be the Nehruvian plank; Noorani would have us believe!



Indian diversity carried a common thread. The common thread was evident to Jinnah, as it was to Gandhi. Jaswant Singh traces the convergence of their views on the desirability of unity in his book, as could be gauged by excerpts, appearing in print media and propagated in electronic media. However they did differ in their approach of making it possible. The common thread has historical roots and could be traced to immigration of Aryans from Central Asia, a millennium or two before another wave of Turko-Persians moved in. It started with Aibeks and continued until 16th century, when India’s most glamorous dynasty of rulers, the Mughals moved in, precisely Babur in 1526. We are leaving out the mere incursions of Mohammad bin Qasim and Sultan Mahmud of Ghazni. Aibeks onwards everyone stayed, making India their home and hearth. <span style='color:red'>Earlier to Aryans, Dravidians of South India had immigrated into India and settled across Vindhyas. The original Indians ‘Aborigines’ living on banks of Jamna were relegated to lowest of the low, by the ‘Code of Manu’. The ‘Aborigines’ were probably darker compared to fairer Aryans, so India might have started on a note of racial prejudice, religious prejudice came in later, leading to the divide, explored by Jaswant. </span>



Jinnah continued to work for Hindu Muslim unity, his differences with Gandhi’s approach, withstanding. In 1916 Sarojni Naidu, named him ‘ambassador of Hindu/Muslim unity!’ How did the ‘true stuff’ of Gokhle and Sarojni’s ambassador of unity turn into villain, as Sangh Parivar would have us believe?! It was prompted by the Sangh Parivar perspective to brand the later migrants foreigners because of a different religious hue. The earlier migrants took the name; original Indians! What suffered in the process was scientific interpretation of history. It did not occur to self styled original Indians that many of their own hue, the migrant Aryans had found their comfort level in the new religious garb adding to the numbers of Turko-Persian religious stream. Moreover pure Persian stock were Aryans too, who had stopped in Iran, while some of them moved ahead to Gangetic delta. Iqbal captures it deftly:

Aye Abrood Ganga, Who Dinn Hai Yaad Tujko

Utra Tera Kinaray Jab Caravan Hamara!

When a section of that caravan worked up the divide, by calling some amongst their own lot plus the later migrants, foreigners merely on the matter of religious belief, in exasperation the ones designated as foreigners accepted what was offered. That formed the crux of Jinnah’s answer, virtually meaning ‘foreigners you call us, foreigners, we stay’!



Had Jaswant chosen to remain silent on Jinnah, blame Gandhi and Nehru for partition and left Sardar Patel out of purview, he would have been welcomed to ‘Chintan Baithak’ [introspection session] in Simla. His erstwhile organization would have garlanded him for a historical discovery, they could play with, rather than show him out by a mere telephone call by the poster boy of RSS; Raj Nath Singh. Nehru, named ‘Maulana Nehru’ satirically by Patel, further calling him ‘the only secular Muslim in Congress’ brought up in composite culture of Allahabad could never comprehend how far Jinnah had advanced. Gandhi could visualize it and had no hesitation in calling him Quaid-e-Azam. The greatness of Gandhi laid in managing to do business even with those, who differed from him. To his discomfort, wily Mountbatten and his charming wife, Edwina had worked up the divide by taking Nehru and Patel on board. Gandhi was talking in vacuum for the first time in life, by telling Mountbatten to offer the Prime Ministership of India to Jinnah and have him choose his own cabinet. It had no takers, nor did Viceroy convey it to Jinnah.



If jaundice had set in the Congress camp at a critical juncture, things were far from rosy in Muslim league. In Liaqat Ali Khan, Muslim league had their Patel, who had worked up untoward political compromises, which made Pakistan, where it stands today, on undesirable cross roads! The partition had quite a few socio-political shades and economic considerations, than what is often projected. That story would have to wait next Tuesday’s column.

[acharya]

<b>Amar Singh invites Jaswant Singh to join Samajwadi Party
</b>

Amar Singh on Tuesday invited Jaswant Singh to join the Samajwadi Party saying that the expelled leader was treated in an unjust manner by the BJP. He also added that on the Jinnah issue the SP was closer to Jaswant Singh than the BJP.

Jaswant Singh was recently expelled from the BJP for extolling Mohammad Ali Jinnah in his book Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence. He wrote that Jinnah was a "great man" who has been "demonised" in India.

Jaswant Singh's expulsion has led to fissures within the BJP with senior leader Arun Shourie also coming out in the open with his views against the party calling it "kati patang" and called Rajnath Singh "Alice in Blunderland". Shourie also urged the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the parent ideologue organisation, to take more control of the BJP.

But Amar Singh did not extend the same offer to Arun Shourie, the other dissident BJP leader.

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[acharya]

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<b>
Jinnah wanted undivided India, British brainwashed him: RSS leader</b>
August 25th, 2009 - 9:52 pm ICT by IANS Tell a Friend -

Bharatiya Janata Party Bhopal, Aug 25 (IANS) Pakistan’s founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah was committed to an undivided and unified India till the British “brainwashed” him into demanding a separate state for Muslims, former Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief K.S. Sudarshan has said.
After attending a function organised by Gau Sewa Bharati at Indore Monday, Sudarshan was asked if he considered Jinnah secular. He said: “Jinnah had many qualities. He also remained associated with Lokmanya Tilak and was totally committed to an undivided and unified India”.

“It was Britishers,” said Sudarshan, “who after his return from England in 1927 brainwashed Jinnah and prompted him to demand a separate state for Muslims.”

Sudarshan blamed Mahatma Gandhi for the partition of the country, saying: “Had Gandhi remained adamant, like when he was on giving huge funds to Pakistan at the time of its formation, the partition would not have taken place. He, however, did not do so mainly because Nehru was his weakness”.

Sudarshan’s comments assume significance in the wake of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) sacking its senior leader Jaswant Singh for his book in which he has praised Jinnah and blamed the country’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and first home minister Sardar Patel.

The RSS is the ideological fountainhead of the BJP.

But on Jaswant Singh’s expulsion, Sudarshan only said: “It is an internal matter of the party.”

[acharya]

BJP collapsing due to internal contradictions: Congress
August 22nd, 2009 - 9:48 pm ICT by IANS Tell a Friend -

Bharatiya Janata Party New Delhi, Aug 22 (IANS) The Jaswant Singh episode shows that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is collapsing due to its “internal contradictions” following the Lok Sabha drubbing, the Congress said Saturday.

Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari told IANS: <b>“The whole episode of Jaswant Singh shows that after rejection by the people the BJP is collapsing now because of its internal contradictions.”</b>

“The way the party is going into the hands of hardliners will further reduce its base,” he said.

He also refused to comment on the Gujarat government’s decision to ban Jaswant Singh’s controversial book - “Jinnah: India, Partition, Independence” in which he has praised Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

“It (the ban) is the result of their internal politics,” Tewari said.

Tewari however rejected the contents of book in which Singh has praised Jinnah and held India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel equally responsible for the 1947 partition.
<span style='color:red'>
“I reject the contents of the book, it is not an academic exercise. Jaswant Singh has tried to re-position himself by distorting history,” Tewari said.</span> <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->

Jaswant Singh, who has held defence, finance and external affairs portfolios in the BJP-led governments, was Wednesday expelled from the party for his controversial book.

[acharya]

BJP leadership divided over rebel Arun Shourie (Lead)
August 25th, 2009 - 8:36 pm ICT by IANS Tell a Friend -

Bharatiya Janata Party New Delhi, Aug 25 (IANS) A day after Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) Arun Shourie created a flutter by calling his party a “kati patang (adrift kite)” and its chief Rajnath Singh “humpty dumpty,” the party leadership was Tuesday divided over initiating disciplinary action against him.

At an evening meeting of BJP general secretaries chaired by Rajnath Singh, one section advocated action against Shourie and another sought a middle path. Party sources said the final call was likely to be taken at another meeting at the residence of BJP veteran L.K. Advani late in the evening.

Party leaders who were crying for Shourie’s head till Tuesday morning were tightlipped.

“There were two opinions at the general secretaries’ meeting. One, he should be sacked just like Jaswant Singh. Another was that the party could not just go on a sacking spree and must address the real issues,” a BJP leader told IANS.

“At the same time, to ensure a wrong message did not go out, the party may decide to issue Shourie a showcause notice and the leadership may hold personal meetings with him,” the source said, pleading anonymity since he is not authorised to speak on internal party issues.

Shourie, upset over the way the BJP is being run, has urged the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the party’s ideological parent, to take greater control of the BJP.

“The way he (Shourie) went out in public about the party’s internal issues is unfortunate,” Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the BJP vice president, told IANS earlier in the day.

“If somebody has grievances, there are enough forums within the party for their redressal. Talking about party leadership in public is indiscipline.”

BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy Monday said: “I am sure he wants action against himself. He wants to become a martyr.”

Shourie told IANS: “This is what great leaders like Rudy can think and all this is rubbish.”

The BJP has been in a crisis since its leader and Lok Sabha MP Jaswant Singh was sacked over a book written by him which argued that Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, had been over demonised in India.

[acharya]

<b>RSS says it can only advise BJP when it asks for</b>
Published on : Tuesday 25 Aug 2009 14:12 - by ANI

New Delhi, Aug 25 - ANI:<b> Reacting to senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Arun Shourie's statement that the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) should take over the BJP, its spokesperson Ram Madhav on Tuesday said the RSS would only advise the BJP whenever it asks for and managing the affairs of the party is primarily the responsibility of the BJP.

"I want to make it very clear that this is not Sangh's responsibility. Our workers are there in politics and they will do what they think is necessary. Whatever help or advice they need from the Sangh, the Sangh will try its best to provide them but it's the BJP responsibility to manage the task," said Madhav.

Shourie had on Monday asked the RSS to take over the control of the BJP.

Shourie's statement is believed to have further deepened the crisis in the party, which is already reeling under a crisis sparked off by the expulsion of Jaswant Singh from the BJP for his views published in his book on Jinnah.</b> - ANI

[acharya]

Jaswant says he didn’t know BJP was nervous about Jinnah
August 23rd, 2009 - 7:40 pm ICT by IANS Tell a Friend -

Bharatiya Janata Party New Delhi, Aug 23 (IANS) Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh Sunday said he never knew the party was so “narrow minded” to unceremoniously sack him for writing a book.
<b>
He said the contention in his controversial book, “Jinnah — India, Partition, Independence”, that the founder of Pakistan was a “great man” and had been “demonised” in India was based on facts, and wondered that it should upset his party leadership.</b>

“I didn’t think the party is so narrow-minded…so nervous about Jinnah and Patel and to get so riled at what I have written. I have a feeling, which I voiced also, that perhaps my former colleagues had not really read the book when they passed the sentence,” he told Karan Thapar on ‘Devil’s Advocate’ programme on CNN-IBN television channel.
<b>
Singh, who has handled external affairs, defence and finance portfolios in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance government, was unhappy that the party did not distinguish between Jinnah’s personal attributes as a human being and his politics while taking a decision to expel him.</b>

[acharya]

Jaswant was shabbily dismissed: Govindacharya
Published on : Monday 24 Aug 2009 17:43 - by ANI

New Delhi, Aug.24 - ANI: Former Bharatiya Janata Party ideologue K N Govindacharya on Monday joined the bandwagon of critics over the Jaswant Singh dismissal issue.
<b>
"The manner in which Jaswant Singh was expelled does not behove of a political party... though no member is indispensable, the destiny of a party worker cannot be decided over a cup of tea," Govindacharya told reporters. He said the BJP should have asked its intellectual cell to study the book, set aside a week for this purpose, summoned Jaswant Singh for an explanation and only then removed him.</b>

Govindacharya termed it as "summarily and shabbily" done expulsion and a "knee-jerk action taken in a hurry".

He said it was the democratic right of an individual to write a book.

He said it was not clear whether Jaswant was expelled over his comments praising Pakistan founder M A Jinnah or for his views against Sardar Patel. - ANI

[acharya]

<b>Coalition politics needed to end Congress hegemony: Advani</b>
Ians
August 21st, 2009

BJPSHIMLA - Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani Friday said coalition politics was a necessity to end the “hegemony of the Congress” in the country’s political system. “Coalition politics is necessary to end Congress hegemony. It is the necessity in India’s political system,” senior BJP leader Sushma Swaraj cited Advani as saying in his address to the party’s three-day introspection meet that ended here.

“Even in the chintan baithak (introspection session), the pros and cons of coalition politics were discussed in detail,” she told reporters during a press briefing.

In his address, Advani said coalition politics was not a recent phenomenon and even the founder of Jana Sangh, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, had formed a coalition in the first Lok Sabha.

Advani admitted that the image of the party had taken a beating. It is due to “infighting, frustration and lack of self-confidence” among the party workers.
<b>
Swaraj said quoting Advani: “Our graph from 1989 to 1999 was at its best and we formed the government at the centre. Between 1999 and 2009, we lost two parliamentary elections consecutively. So introspection is a must.”

“In 1984, even when we had two MPs, the people had faith in us,” said Advani. And added: “Today we have 116 seats in the Lok Sabha, so there is no need for frustration.”
</b>
“This ‘chintan baithak’ is the first step towards improvement and to resolve issues through dialogue and interaction,” Swaraj quoted Advani as saying.

[acharya]

Jaswant Singh's expulsion: Why the BJP was right
August 25, 2009 15:40 IST

While political pundits wax eloquence on Jaswant Singh's [ Images ] unorthodox expose of Mohammed Ali Jinnah applauding it for its scholastic content, and decry the Bharatiya Janata Party [ Images ] for its lack of intellectual laxity, they fail to comprehend political underpinnings of this episode that prompted Jaswant Singh's expulsion. It was not purely an action based on ideological aberrancy. Neither was it meant to be a slap in the face of intellectual discourse. It was an act of masterful political gamesmanship which with one stroke nullified the far reaching ramifications that such unbridled laudation of its bete noire by one of its own had the potential to unleash in the arena of Indian politics.

The previous BJP-Jinnah episode courtesy L K Advani [ Images ] has proven to be an edifying exercise for the BJP in this present dilemma. The ideological consternation that it had engendered among its rank and file and the consequent demoralising effect on its doctrinaire cadres had to be avoided in the future. With surgical precision that was quick and decisive, the canker in its midst was removed leaving no scope for prolonged self mutilating dialogue and its consequent deleterious effect on party unity. Hence the expulsion.

The second raison d'etre for this apparently hasty act was the protection of its electoral turf, its nationalistic plank. For the ideologically challenged Congress party, this recurring faux pas by BJP stalwarts was a gift on a platter they could not refuse. Congress party leaders went to town gleefully dubbing the BJP as the Bharatiya Jinnah Party satirically identifying the BJP with its nemesis, the patriarch of Pakistan. Apart from the humiliation of this affront, there was a distinct danger of the Congress usurping its nationalistic space and denting its hard earned epithet of being the quintessential patriotic party. Jaswant Singh's rustication was meant to neutralise this barb that threatened to demolish the very precepts of the BJP's existence.

Further down the list was the inhibitory effect of this punitive redress on dissidence in the party, a stern message to Vasundra Raje Scindia outlining her possible fate if she persisted with her recalcitrance despite her senior status.

Jaswant Singh's cardinal sin in this brouhaha was also the poor timing of his book release. The election defeat of 2009 had opened up a can of worms bringing to the fore a multitude of cantankerous issues that were tearing the party asunder; its core ideology was in question, its leadership was floundering for lack of a clear line of succession post- Advani and dissidence was raising its ugly head. For the head of its parliamentary board to add to its woes at this stage was just not acceptable. Not only did this show poor judgment but smacked of irresponsibility that was hard to pardon. The party's interest was relegated to second place in Jaswant Singh's single minded quest for personal aggrandisement. Jaswant Singh paid the price for his folly of resurrecting a divisive and politically irrelevant topic at an inappropriate moment.

Then there was the logistic issue of conforming to party norms. Senior leaders are expected to be set an example to the common soldiery by assiduously following party rules. The June 2005 resolution of the BJP stated: "Whatever may have been Jinnah's vision of Pakistan, the state he founded was theocratic and non-secular; the very idea of Hindus and Muslims being two separate nations is repugnant to the BJP. The BJP has always condemned the division of India along communal lines and continues to steadfastly reject the two-nation theory championed by Jinnah and endorsed by the British."

Jaswant Singh's action was in direct contravention of this resolution transgressing the line in the sand that had been drawn.

Sardar Patel was the perfect foil to Jawaharlal Nehru [ Images ]. His astute unyielding nature had a earthy realism that helped galvanise a motley lot of 700 and odd princely states into a credible modern nation state and contrasted sharply with the wishy-washy liberalism of Nehru that was a mere showpiece; it created more problems for the nation than it could solve. The BJP pictures itself in the mould of the 'iron man', blunt and direct, even hawkish at times, but above all zealously guarding the nation's interest and rivalling the abstract Nehruvism portrayed by the Congress. Jaswant Singh's scrutiny of its icon was akin to political hara-kiri, a self inflicted stab that questioned the authenticity of its overarching assertive demeanour.

Was the action against Jaswant Singh a negation of free speech? Certainly not. For, one has to bear in mind that a political party is a collection of individuals who subscribe to a common notion. Can a Communist party harbour a die-hard capitalist in its ranks and still expect to be credible? If Jaswant Singh felt a compelling urge to articulate his convictions about Jinnah which he knew fully well, were at odds with the party diktat, he could have resigned from the party prior to his book release saving himself and the BJP an ugly spat.

In summary the BJP cannot be faulted for acting in its own interest. Jaswant Singh's expulsion was an act, Machiavellian in its concept that combined political expediency with shrewd political insight; a move designed to shore up the sagging image and morale of a fractured entity that had lost its verve and was drifting aimlessly. For the outsider this was an attack on intellectualism but for the BJP it was a proud assertion of its core identity, provoking a rare unity that had been a desideratum in recent times. The decision to expel Jaswant Singh was unanimous. Hopefully this unity will persist transforming the BJP once again into a cohesive credible unit dutifully discharging its role in Indian politics. Who knows it maybe the BJP that has the last laugh and not the venom spitting band of its detractors?

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-Mudy+Aug 24 2009, 08:34 AM-->QUOTE(Mudy @ Aug 24 2009, 08:34 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin-Pandyan+Aug 24 2009, 08:03 AM--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Pandyan @ Aug 24 2009, 08:03 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin-->Just another BJP traitor.
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What he wrote was right, only problem is its Politically incorrect with respect to current politics of India. Don't forget, post Independence History of India is written by Nehru's stooges
Nehru was greedy for high position and Patel knew Muslim can't live with Hindus. So they both joined hands for separate nation. Patel objective was sincere. Nehru was typical elitist who believed in keeping power to himself.
Nehru picked socialist model for India, which is also first step towards dictatorship.
Jinnah, initially compromised but he was new elitist and very late he understood its better to go for separate nation under pressure from UP muslim elite class.

Jaswant is not traitor, but did a great service to nation.

Don't make opinion based on media remarks but think how Nehru operated, he used women, wine, and Gandhi to promote himself. <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo-->
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It is becuase of Nehru India keep sufefring with Islamic terorrism .Has Congress worked on clean and complete partition ,Indo Pak relation could have been better as well no impediment to internal cohesion.

[acharya]

<b>Jaswant to visit Pak to promote his book on Jinnah</b>
12 Comments | Post Comment


Jaswant jinnah book
Jaswant’s book has been flying off the shelves as sellers in Pak have already sold out the first 150 copies in just a few hours.

With his controversial book on Mohammad Ali Jinnah flying off the shelves in Pakistan, former external affairs minister Jaswant Singh will arrive in Islamabad on Thursday for a tour to promote his work on this country's founder.

The visit, which will take Singh to Islamabad and Karachi, is being kept low key due to security reasons and invitations to speaking engagements by the former BJP leader have been extended only to a select few, one of the organisers of the trip said.

Muhammad Yusuf, director Mr Books, one of Islamabad's best-known book stores that will be hosting Singh in Islamabad, said the author will have a speaking engagement at the posh Islamabad Club in the evening on August 27.

Singh will later sign copies of his book, 'Jinnah: India-Partition-Independence', at the store for an hour.

"We were the first bookstore in Pakistan to bring in Singh's book and it has been flying off the shelves. We have already sold out the first 150 copies and are expecting a second consignment of 500 copies this evening," said Yusuf.

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Singh, who was expelled from the BJP last week after he argued in his book that Jinnah was not solely responsible for the partition of the Indian subcontinent in 1947, will travel to the southern port city of Karachi on August 28.

In Karachi, Singh will be hosted by Liberty Books, one of Pakistan's largest book retailers. He is expected to have speaking engagements and sign copies of his book there too.

Newspaper editorials and columnists have also argued that Singh's reappraisal of Jinnah's role in the partition could help India and Pakistan get over contentious historical issues, thus leading to improved relations in future.

[acharya]

What was Kulkarni doing in party for 13 years, asks BJP
25 Aug 2009, 0810 hrs IST, ET Bureau

NEW DELHI: BJP, which acknowledged the fickleness of its fair weather fans, on Monday hit out at former Advani aide Sudheendra Kulkarni for his
attack on the party.

“It took 13 years for Mr Kulkarni to realise that he is not comfortable with the BJP’s ideology. That he is out of sync with BJP’s beliefs never donned on him when the party was in power. Mr Kulkarni, who made a lateral entry into BJP was given positions of power and authority,” BJP spokesman Ravishankar Prasad said.

Mr Kulkarni, who worked as a close aide of Mr Advani for over a decade, had blamed Sangh parivar’s “interference” in the BJP’s functioning for the debacle in the last Lok Sabha polls. He had also criticised the way former Union minister Jaswant Singh was expelled from the party.

An ex-Trotskyite, Mr Kulkarni was the co-author of Mr Advani’s audacious Jinnah reappraisal project. Mr Advani’s advisors had calculated that accrediting Jinnah, the force behind two-nation theory, as a “secularist” would create an ambience that can accommodate the BJP leader’s prime ministerial ambitions. Mr Advani, who was swept off his feet by melodrama involved in his interactions with Pakistanis and film songs such as “ghar aya mera pardesi” during banquets at his honour, went along with Mr Kulkarni’s script.

Incidentally, it was Mr Jaswant Singh, who was fielded by BJP in 2005 to reject Mr Kulkarni’s Jinnah line that found acceptance in the Advani household. “These are the individual and personal views expressed by a member at a gathering which had nothing to do with BJP,’’ Mr Jaswant Singh had told reporters at a press conference in Delhi on June 21, 2005.

Since the days of the NDA government, Mr Kulkarni had pushed the theory that BJP could not hope to increase its tally in the Lok Sabha without co-opting Muslims. On the eve of the general election in 2004, he had floated the proposal to organise ``Vajpayee Himayat Yatra’’ — a project to enlist the support of the Muslims in Uttar Pradesh. The yatra bus had Pervez Musharraf’s photograph pasted on it as Mr Kulkarni calculated that Mr Musharraf had a large following among Indian Muslims. The yatra flopped miserably, and BJP ended up with just 10 seats in the politically-crucial state.

Mr Kulkarni was involved in Mr Advani’s image building efforts during the last Lok Sabha polls. It was Mr Kulkarni and his friends that advised Mr Advani to conduct a personality-oriented campaign in the election. The results have proved that the BJP’s slogan “Mazboot neta, nirnayak sarkar” just did not connect with the people.

[acharya]

<b>I appreciate what Singh has written about Jinnah: Sharif </b>

Vinod Sharma, Hindustan Times
August 23, 2009
First Published: 21:48 IST(23/8/2009)
Last Updated: 00:51 IST(24/8/2009)
<b>
Does your party and you personally look at this whole controversy about Jaswant Singh’s book on Jinnah sahib?</b>

I think I am not very qualified to comment on this issue but I think it is something which of course is a matter which India has to deal with. I am an outsider from that point of view. I respect Mr Jaswant Singh. When he came to Pakistan, we had very good meetings here and we have been in touch also afterwards. He brought a very good Rajasthani turban for me, I still have it and I have great regards for it. I respect the man. The [BJP] has taken an action and the party is the best judge as to why it has taken this decision. There is nothing beyond this that I can say on this issue.
Jaswant claims that he has brought out the true facts and in his opinion this is the true position. I certainly appreciate what Mr Singh has written about Jinnah and I also have a lot of respect for the man. In my view, Mr Singh is a man who believes in certain principles.

You have interacted with Mr Vajpayee during the Lahore process and he went to Minar-e-Pakistan during that visit, which was perhaps more than praising Jinnah. Do you think that had he been at the helm of the BJP he would have handled the issue differently rather than expelling Mr Singh?

Perhaps I think Mr Vajpayee may have dealt with the issue in a different manner. He is regarded as a statesman. He is not only regarded as a statesman in India, he is also regarded as one in Pakistan. Mr Vajpayee and I had an excellent equation. We are the actual architects of the normalisation of relations between the two countries. We are the architects of the Lahore Declaration; we signed that paper together. And the words that he said during his visit in Pakistan were marvellous and they went down very well with the people of Pakistan. Later he went to Minar-e-Pakistan and signed the book there. The comments that he wrote there have become part of history. The man was not biased at all. He believed in bringing the two countries closer to each other. I was supporting his efforts I would say although I also believe in this cause very strongly. But he was a step ahead of even me to make this thing happen.

Has this Jinnah controversy, I mean don’t you think that there is a need for our two countries to revisit our respective national heroes in order to gain a deeper understanding of their role during their freedom struggle because that could make a good beginning towards the peace process, by shunning their old prejudices and taking things forward with a new perspective about each other’s national heroes?

That is how we will be able to come out of the deadlock. This deadlock has been on for the last 62 years now. Look at the resources that we have wasted on fighting each other, on buying armaments, ammunition. Look at the colossal damage that we have done to our own economies by wasting this money. There has been an arms race between the two countries over the last 62 years – India acquiring MIG 27 and we running after the F-16s. Do we really need them? And then we have stuck to our stated positions for the last 62 years. I think we need to get out of these stated positions. These stated positions have not helped us at all, have not been able to get us anywhere. I think that the minds now have to change and if we stick on to the old mindset I think we’ll be wasting our time.

Do you think that a joint body of historians from both sides would help so that we can re-do our history books on both sides, even at the school level, in order to save the future generations from the old prejudices?

Whether you do that or not, the new generation will do it. You hardly have any control on them.

How do you read this Sharm el-Sheikh statement? You know there is a controversy in India, a huge debate in India that it could have been drafted better.

We should understand each other’s position better. We should try to accommodate each other’s position, and if both sides are sincere – and I am sure they are sincere to their countries – and if they are sincere to the cause, then what is the problem? By reprimanding a prime minister in the parliament – here I am not passing any judgment on the issue as far as India is concerned – but I think Mr Manmohan Singh is as sincere to this cause as the Pakistani prime minister or the Pakistani government. So, if they both have discussed something, have signed an agreement, have reached an understanding, it should be taken as a positive step.

You have just been rated in two successive opinion surveys as the most popular leader of your country, what do you intend doing to put Indo-Pak ties on a more creative course given that you hold sway over the masses in Pakistan. You are also held in very high esteem in big influential sections in India. Don’t you think that you have a duty to do something in this?

I am thankful to the Indian people that they think like this. I also wish the very best to the Indian people. I think both countries have an excellent opportunity now under a democratic setup that we have in Pakistan – both the treasury benches and the opposition who are today one in this belief that both countries have to do business, resolve their outstanding issues amicably, sit across the table and get over with our problems. This is the belief of the opposition and if I am not wrong, it is also the policy of the federal government and the Pakistani government. The government today will not find me lagging behind in extending any amount of cooperation to make this happen. One, I think we should continue with the back-channel that we have. Yes, there has been this problem of Mumbai – the explosions and the killings in Mumbai have really given a set-back to the peace process. We should try to get out of it. Pakistan has a major role to play in this. Pakistan must reach out to India, convince India to sit down together, to conduct a joint investigation and Pakistan should regain the confidence of India in this issue. I know that India is hurt, I admit that, but I think that Pakistan has a duty to do and it should do that duty as quickly as possible and get this peace process going, establish the back channel once again and start the negotiations. We will support the government. There are also other options that one can think of but I do not think that I can give you these options off-hand unless I discuss them with the government. I am the one who actually very strongly support abolishing the visa between the two countries, I strongly support trade links with India, enhance the trade and commerce activities and at the same time I very strongly believe in sitting down together and getting out of our stated positions of the last 62 years and do business with India.

You are in the Opposition at the federal level, though you share power with the PPP in Punjab, what is your advice to Mr Advani? Would you like to give him an advice that you have a creative approach to putting Indo-Pak relations back on track? Would you have any advice for Mr Advani?

I am nobody to advise Mr Advani. He is of course a very seasoned politician, a very senior politician, I respect him. I can only say that I will extend full cooperation to the Indian political leadership – the government and the opposition because I also happen to be here among other political leaders, and of course we are in the opposition. Since we very strongly believe in the peace process, my humble role that I would like to play would be to extend full cooperation to the Indian leadership in this regard.

Do you think it will help if BJP is on board on the other side?

Certainly. Everybody will have to be on board. Same is true of Pakistan. I think the political leadership of Pakistan should also be on board here.

Would you like to tell the BJP that the political leader of Pakistan is serious about fighting terror jointly with India?

There is no doubt in this regard. We are fighting terrorism here ourselves, we are victims of terrorism and we are fighting it out successfully. Therefore, we do not believe in creating problems, not only for ourselves, also for our neighbours or the rest of the world. It is not something which has arisen now or yesterday, it is the result of the nine years of Musharraf’s dictatorship that the country is facing today. This terrorism, extremism, militancy is not a problem of yesterday; it is a problem of the last eight/nine years of dictatorship. Let me tell you that militancy, terrorism thrive under dictatorships, they never thrive under democracies. Dictatorships are excellent breeding grounds for militancy and radicalism. What we need to stress upon is to ensure that we don’t have dictatorships again and again in this country.

What do you think can be specifically done by both sides to reduce this trust deficit on the terror issue?

If the governments are not involved, if the state agencies are not involved, if there are non-state actors who are trying to subvert the peace process between the two countries, I think then both countries have a role to play, they have a responsibility to perform. India must then understand and appreciate that Pakistan is itself trying to fight this menace, therefore extend all cooperation to Pakistan. India knows fully well that the government of Pakistan, the state agencies of Pakistan are not involved in Mumbai killings. It is also being said not only by India but the international forces and Western countries have said the same thing, so if that is true, which of course it is true, then I think India must extend a hand of cooperation to Pakistan to fight this problem. Why the mistrust then?

Mistrust is normally about people like Hafiz Saeed and they getting released. Then your government in Punjab withdrew perhaps its petition in the Supreme Court, withdrew the appeal in the Supreme Court against his release by the High Court.

The governments are doing their best of course. The courts are independent. The government should try to get the kind of evidence which can stand the test of judicial scrutiny.

If there is evidence, then you assure that your government in the province and the federal government would act against it?

If the evidence is strong enough, which can stand the test of judicial scrutiny, of course the situation would then be different.

Do you think Sharm el-Sheikh suffered because it was signed without any adequate preparation on ground all too suddenly? These things require a lot of spadework.

If you go into too much of spadework and if you start going after the ideas floated by the civil servants and bureaucracy, then you are stuck, then you cannot get out of it. This is my experience of the last 20-30 years of politics. The politicians have to take the initiative.

Do you perceive the role for yourself in brokering peace between India and Pakistan, given your standing in your country and the goodwill that you enjoy in India?

I will very much like to use that position which I have been placed by God and of course by the people of Pakistan, make use of that in a very positive manner and use it for resolving all our outstanding issues with India. If I can do that, I think it will be a big service to not only to my country but to the Subcontinent. Why not? It will be a God-given opportunity for me.

So that means broadly that on peace with India, you and Mr Zardari agree? There is a huge agreement between the two of you?

I don’t think there is much of a difference between us here in Pakistan, the opposition and the government think alike on this isue.

[acharya]

<b> * Will give clarification, ties have not snapped: Shourie
</b>

New Delhi, Aug 25 (PTI) Asked to explain his outburst against the BJP leadership, Arun Shourie tonight said he would give a clarification and that his ties with the party had not snapped.

"If there is any ambiguiry and the party President and others have asked for clarification, I will clarify. There is no problem," Shourie told reporters when asked to respond to the party's decision to seek a clarification from him for his utterances.

He said he had not received any notice from the party leadership and that he had come to know about it through the media.

"I will see the written document that they would have sent," he said.

"I am in touch with them. Meri puri tarah se kutti nahi hui (my ties with party have not snapped)," the former Union Minister said.

[Capt M Kumar]

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If you open this link, you will find Shourie's picture w/ some title in the main category 'news' and along w/ u will find the title of a movie 'kaminey'=mean.
Hurry before it goes to archive! <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tongue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tongue.gif' /><!--endemo-->