‘I sent advanced copy of book on Jinnah to Advani’

In a startling revelation,expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh said he had sent an advance copy of his latest book on Jinnah to senior party leader L K Advani.

In a startling revelation,expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh said on Wednesday that he had sent an advance copy of his latest book Jinnah India-Partition-Independence to senior party leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha L K Advani,and therefore,this made his removal from the party after 30 years of association even more painful and shocking.

Interacting with journalists here on the sidelines of a three-day party Chintan Baithak,which he is not attending in the wake of his sudden expulsion,Jaswant Singh said that at the time of his sending the book over to Advani,there was no reaction or hint of things to come,and this made his expulsion from the party one of the saddest episodes of his adult life.

He said he never could have imagined in his wildest dreams that he would be expelled from the BJP just for writing a book. The book,he said,was a personal viewpoint,and had nothing to do with the policies or stances of the BJP.

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Describing his expulsion from BJP as “saddening and regrettable”,Jaswant Singh said he would not appeal against the decision or seek any review though he felt that the party did not follow procedures.

He also made it clear that he did not regret writing the book on Mohammad Ali Jinnah and stood by whatever he has written on the “painful period of history”.

A visibly emotional Singh said that he was sad that his 30 years of association with BJP has come to such an end but felt he could have been told not to come to Shimla.

Singh,a member of Lok Sabha from Darjeeling in West Bengal,said his political life was not over and that he would continue to be a member of Parliament.

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“Regret. Why should I regret five years of labour? I have written what is my reading of that painful period of history,” he said when asked if he regretted writing the book ‘Jinnah – India,Partition,Independence’ which led to his expulsion from the party.

“I have committed no sin. None whatsoever against India,” he said.

Recalling that he was among those given positions of responsibility in the party by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani,Singh said “I’m of course saddened by the way I have been expelled after having worked for the party with dedication for 30 years. I have served the party to the best of my ability.”

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