Jaswant Singh expelled from BJP

[Spring Onion]

I would suggest to all people here on this forum to read the book first before commenting.

Jana, in the book Jaswant Singh has not praised Mr.Jinnah. In fact for the large portion he has been quite critical of him.

I have had the oppurtunity to read the unedited book last month and I can assure you there are things which are definitely not palatable.

All the comments that are being made are based on couple of pages of a book which has more than 500 pages.This book contains lot of cross references to other historical archives, quotations from contemporary leaders and Mr.Jaswant singh's own interpretation of history.

The media is only highlighting excerpts which will help them sell their story.

Regarding his expulsion it is nothing more than a power struggle in the party and in light of yesterday's interview by the RSS chief something big had to happen.

Mr.Jaswant Singh is one of the liberal faces of BJP. One must remember that during the Rath yatra of Adavani, he was absent from all the road shows and during the 1st Govt formation by BJP his name as a Minister in the cabinet was vetoed by RSS.

Please read this very interesting article in the BBC by Soutik Biswas

BBC - Soutik Biswas's India

yes i know there are many parts where he has criticised Jinnah and Pakistan in a sugarcoated manner

I am showing regret over Indians' thinking just beacue Jaswant said few praising phrases about Jinnah like terming him a great "indian" and secular, the BJP as usual expelled him just like they did with Advani.


BTW i am writing a rejoinder to his book will share soon.

 

[Spring Onion]

Was called Hanuman of BJP, now I am being treated as Ravan: Jaswant


Press Trust Of India
Shimla, August 19, 2009
First Published: 14:39 IST(19/8/2009)
Last Updated: 15:37 IST(19/8/2009)


Describing his expulsion from BJP as "saddening and regrettable", Jaswant Singh today said that he will 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.

"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'am 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."

Was called Hanuman of BJP, now I am being treated as Ravan: Jaswant- Hindustan Times

 

[agastya]

well thank god bjp did it sooner than later..
wish they had done it on the day of book release::

our indian politician tend to do one blunder after another one was lahore declaration other sharm-el-seikh the third jaswant ..

well it seems some of our politician want to go all out to please pakistan

even in some corner of my heart had started to believe bjp stood for bhartiya jinnah party

 

[sob]

yes i know there are many parts where he has criticised Jinnah and Pakistan in a sugarcoated manner

I am showing regret over Indians' thinking just beacue Jaswant said few praising phrases about Jinnah like terming him a great "indian" and secular, the BJP as usual expelled him just like they did with Advani.


BTW i am writing a rejoinder to his book will share soon.

I don't think Advani was expelled by BJP over his remarks on Jinnah.
I would love to read your rejoinder on his book.

Please note that this book has been used as an excuse to expel him, during recent elections in Rajasthan Jaswant Singh was supposed to have had a hand in the defeat of the BJP by encouraging infighting and not openly campaigning for his party.

 

[garibnawaz]

I don't think Advani was expelled by BJP over his remarks on Jinnah.
I would love to read your rejoinder on his book.

There is a difference in what Advani said and what Jaswant wrote.

Please note that this book has been used as an excuse to expel him, during recent elections in Rajasthan Jaswant Singh was supposed to have had a hand in the defeat of the BJP by encouraging infighting and not openly campaigning for his party.

Vasundhara was responsible and she has already asked to quit. Mind you she didn't even wrote any book.

Jaswant himself was contesting from Darjeeling (West Bengal) and he won the Loksabha seat.

GB

 

[greatsequence]

 

[greatsequence]

 

[garibnawaz]

expelling him just because he has praised great Jinnah shows the metality of BJP claiming to represent majority Hindu Indians.

He didn't praised Jinnah at first place. His main point is that Nehru and Patel are equally responsible for partition.

Carry your BS to some other thread and i will discuss it with you there.. You are again as usual trying to troll.

Anyway gharib if you want to discuss this off topic issue here in this thread then be ready there are many other issues relating to India that could make their way to this thread. starting from Indian brutalities with Muslims, Christians, Dalits and many other sections of low cast Hindu Indians. Besides Moists, Naxals, Assam, Naga Land and many more you name you will have it here.

I would request the mods to instruct all members to stick to the topic.

It is you who went off topic by saying that thank god you got a separate country. It has nothing to with Jaswant's book or his expulsion from BJP.

Jaswant Singh gives credit where its due and your extremists BJP kicks him out? Great 'India Shining' Party!!

Are you saying only Nehru and Patel are responsible for partition and Jinnah had nothing to do with it?

If not then which credit you are talking about?

I suggest everyone to either read the book or know facts completely before posting with plain hatred against India and the Indian posters.

BJP claiming to represent majority Hindu Indians.

Off topic and non sense. BJP ruled India hardly for 6 years. That too with coalition of parties.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

The issue with jaswant Singh's expulsion is not that there were reasons 'behind the scenes' and his purported praise of Jinnah was merely an excuse - the issue is the public justification that the BJP offered for his expulsion.

The public justification given says a lot about how the BJP views India IMO, in that any sort of 'praise' for Jinnah (even if qualified) is considered to be so bad a crime, that most Indians (in the BJP's opinion) will view the step as a positive move.

That underlying attitude is what is troublesome about the public position taken by the BJP, that they view the Indian citizen's mindset to be so negative and anti-Pakistan, that kicking out a leader for 'praising Jinnah' is considered a move that will bring political dividends with the electorate.

The BJP may be out of touch with mainstream India (going by the last elections that argument has merit), and this may in fact further marginalize it as a party.

 

[garibnawaz]

The issue with jaswant Singh's expulsion is not that there were reasons 'behind the scenes' and his purported praise of Jinnah was merely an excuse - the issue is the public justification that the BJP offered for his expulsion.

The public justification given says a lot about how the BJP views India IMO, in that any sort of 'praise' for Jinnah (even if qualified) is considered to be so bad a crime, that most Indians (in the BJP's opinion) will view the step as a positive move.

That underlying attitude is what is troublesome about the public position taken by the BJP, that they view the Indian citizen's mindset to be so negative and anti-Pakistan, that kicking out a leader for 'praising Jinnah' is considered a move that will bring political dividends with the electorate.

The BJP may be out of touch with mainstream India (going by the last elections that argument has merit), and this may in fact further marginalize it as a party.

Do not agree.

Advani praised Jinnah as a Secular person while on a visit in Pakistan. He is still in the BJP and leader of opposition in India's Loksabha.

 

[shravan]

That underlying attitude is what is troublesome about the public position taken by the BJP, that they view the Indian citizen's mindset to be so negative and anti-Pakistan, that kicking out a leader for 'praising Jinnah' is considered a move that will bring political dividends with the electorate.

Sir,

Then they would have kicked L.K. Advani a long time back.
----
BBC NEWS | South Asia | BJP's Advani offers resignation
7 June, 2005
He offered to step down as party president at the end of a six-day visit to Pakistan, where he praised the nation's founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

 

[glomex]

The fellow(Jaswant Singh) has lived his political life...and is sitting at the end of it....he must have been aware of a negative sentiment being built against him in the Party for some time now....so he decided to write a controvercial book.....to make money(royalty).......and enjoy his retirement....

 

[TsAr]

Whether he praised Jinnah or not I think he did not say anything against India or BJP that they have expelled him.....Infact he was critical of Nehru who belong to Congress so they should have instead praised him....

 

[garibnawaz]

Whether he praised Jinnah or not I think he did not say anything against India or BJP that they have expelled him.....Infact he was critical of Nehru who belong to Congress so they should have instead praised him....

If he is criticizing with solid reasons one can understand. If he is not then there is a punishment.

He is a seasoned politician and an ex-army officer. Something like this was not expected from him.

He could have made same claims when he was a foriegn minister. Why now all of sudden with no reason and no season?

Nehru made his mistakes but that doesnt mean one should point fingers at him for no reasons.

GB

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

If he is criticizing with solid reasons one can understand. If he is not then there is a punishment.

So in essence you are saying that he should be kicked out of party office for merely voicing his opinion about a historical personality in a civil and rational manner.

That does not come across as a very open minded action nor befitting of a country that takes pride in being secular and valuing freedom of speech.

Nehru made his mistakes but that doesnt mean one should point fingers at him for no reasons.

GB

The thing is that not everyone agrees on the same issue, especially historical issues. Everyone has their own opinion. One cannot go around kicking out people from their professions because one does not like their perspective on historical figures. Its not like JS said something antithetical to the BJP's core political platform.