B.S. NAGARAJ writes from New Delhi: That Gujarat chief minister Narendra Damodardas Modi should have moved so swiftly to ban Jaswant Singh‘s book on Jinnah is not surprising. After all, how can the chhote sardar countenance any “highly defamatory” references, as perceived by him, to the original Sardar (Patel)?
But if reports are to be believed, all the BJP-ruled States, too, are considering a similar ban. And that would include Karnataka whose chief minsiter holds Modi in great esteem. B.S. Yediyurappa has time and again heaped praise on Narendra Modi and his model of development and style of governance.
In any case, can Yediyurappa afford not to ban the book at a time when the BJP leadership has cracked the whip, and when everybody in the party is quickly trying to be seen as toeing the line? Or, should he stand up and say no, making a case for free speech and expression?
churumuri 
Yeddyurappa has already told TV9 over telephone from Shimla that he would take a decision on whether to ban in two days.
His ‘ gumastha ‘ DVS Gowda is playing safe by telling everyone that it is left to the discretion of the state govt.
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Oh…so he is waiting for a collective decision after due Chintan in the BJP Baithak on which CM should do what to give Jaswant Singh a fitting reply for speaking his mind. Going by BJP logic, Patel is revered in Gujarat so immediate action was required. The rest of India is not unduly preoccupied with Jinnah or Patel, so a ban may not be imposed. What when some other party comes to power in Gujarat? The ban will be lifted. As can be seen, there is no countrywide call or demand for a ban. Why, even the RSS-types have not burnt copies of it yet. I think it would have been a more honest step to ban the book within the BJP–so that there can be “no two opinions on Jinnah” as Jaitley said.
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Will yedi follow the fascist book banning example or not? It will prove that RSS facists have had their way. Will be surprising if he does.
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If Jaswant Singh really wants to go down swinging, he can embarass both State Govts by challenging the ban in the HC or Supreme Court.
Don’t see how either State Govt. can justify the ban in constitutional terms.
OTOH, he can stay quiet and watch as copies fly off the shelves everywhere else…
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Sushama says Jaswant’s views are against party’s (BJP) ideology. Does it mean that obscurantism is their guiding principle? Is their ideology against truth and quest for knowledge? Jaswant should have known what was coming for these are the same people, who rewrote history in school books to suit their ideology and sacked Advani for expressing similar opinion. Jaswantji, if Muslim leaders are venerated, how can a Muslim bashing ideology survive?
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Hajvani has become another Indira Gandhi, trying to take complete control of the party by ruthlessly eliminating dissneting voices. For a Loh Purush, who is rusted to the core this is quite expected. To carry out his bidding, we have Sancho Panza, Rajnath.
I do not hold any brief for Jaswant either, who was effectively at work between 8 to 5 PM every day. After that he was rumoured to have retired to do PHD :)
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This post is sheer kite flying and based on authors own assumptions..height of irresponsible writing
There is no need for this kind of hysteria.. this should not become forum for BJP bashing on imaginary issues and imaginary reactions by BJP govt..
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now this is obscurantism. idiots.
yedi would do well to keep a low profile on this and do nothing. as PVNR said no-action is also action. this has nothing to do with KA. our terms of joining the union and our experience of partition are different. he should remember that. takshashila may have been usurped, but panini is more than alive on either side of tunga. just keep it that way.
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No surprise at all. In fact, a book seller today was asking me if the Karnataka government would ban it now. His book, showcased on the window sill, was drawing a stream of curious onlookers
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Are you kidding me? On what grounds is a historical work banned? This is absolutely ludicrous. A grave assault on our fundamental freedom of speech. It is simply terrible that it is happening in India.
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Banning the book in electronic age is a foolish act. Many people I am sure might have procured the book and started reading and exchanging.Banning shows their myopic view about the freedom of expression. Instead of banning BJP should have used the opportunity to tell the nation about the role of congress, especially Nehru in dividing India. Sardar Patel might have agreed to Nehru under that impression that ultimately Gandhi ji will also back the move otherwise his agreeing to partition does not seem logical. Any how Jaswant Singh has opened pandoras box and has given intelletuals a debating point wait and watch what happens next.
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As Jaswant Singh mentioned in his press meet today, the bookhas been banned even before reading it. How can a book so voluminous can be read and ideas formed within two days of its release? Where is the BJP going in this self distructive mode>j
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when a book by rushdee is banned these people raised lot of rubble,then why ban a book now?as it is Mr.Singh is a well read man and must have his own reason to have written this book.now we were criticizing congressmen for being sycophants.today we are no better.
i will think twice before voting BJP next time.
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Hosa-Belaku, You are right. The best plan of action for BJP is not to allow the cadre to read the book. Otherwise it will create wide spread ‘dogmatic disobedience’ in the party. As such, according to newspaper reports, most of the leaders attending Baithak Chintan have not read the book and probably that is the reason why the Baithak Chintan meet could take such quick and unanimous decisions. The less they read, the less they think and the most they remain united and unanimous!!!!.
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I hope Jaswant Singh challenges the ban :) Anyway bans are always great for sales ;)
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Can Churumuri bring itself around to stop giving so much play to a party of the mindless? Of course, that doesn’t mean wasting space on the other party of the mindless.
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The an is an onslaught on the Fundamental right of Constitution, the right to express.
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Shameful fact is that BJP is just a clone of Congress. For all the brouhaha they raised about their party being against the “High Command” culture, they are nothing but banias with a different colored flag.
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TKM, yes. But that is just one thought. After reading several excerpts, some interviews and articles by people who have read Jaswant Singh’s book (I have not), it is clear to me that JS has critiqued Nehru and pinpointed his contribution to making the Partition a reality. For a BJP/RSS which is so much into demonising/deifying people (Jinnah/Patel), it should be happy about Nehru’s “vilification” and issue a diktat to the cadres to read the book!
Of course, Jaswant Singh on his part was probably only “humanising” everybody involved –highlighting their merits and demerits as it were.
When those who expelled him actually sit down to reading the book, page by page, I am sure there will be many a red face and heavy heart.
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Next item on BJP’s is agenda is to disqualify anyone and everyone who can read, write and think. Is it any wonder that BJP takes root in areas which is socially and educationally backward?
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Why write about Jinnah of all people..
Of course, a person has the freedom to choose – but somehow, i cannot understand why Jinnah. Spending 5 yrs, researching, and all of it.. Does this Jinnah deserve it..He could have chosen an Indian, somebody who deserved to be researched on..more contemporary..someone who has contributed to nation building..
Moreover, what positive contribution does this book do to the Nation?
He is not on the right side and it is obvious in his responses..
Lokamanya Tilak
Sardar Patel and his efforts to unite 700 provinces
Bala Gangadhar Tilak
APJ Kalam
Atal Vajpayee
Tiger Prakasam
C Rajagopala chari
Bhagat Singh
Krishna Devaraya
and so many others…
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chamundihill,
Why ban the book?
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I hope they ban the book, not that I believe it is right thing, but then again you know its significance. Even if yeddi did not then atleast Ad-vani the shopwreck to guide the party as long he can, there will always kandhar and its stream doing its things. what is the fun of bashing moron like rajnoth singh.
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The book is a hit already…..
Books fly off shelves after Jaswant’s expulsion
Bangalore, aug 20, dhns:
Thanks to the controversial elements in the historical tome of former Foreign Affairs Minister and MP from Darjeeling, Jaswant Singh, and his subsequent summary expulsion from the BJP, the book is flying off the shelves of book stores across the City.
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AG,
turns out the ban is purely local (SVB related) and political. in GJ, even congress supports the ban. there you go.
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Jaswant’s book should not be banned. It should be read and people should discuss it.
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Is this the freedom of expression and tolerance in the world’s largest democracy?? shame on you BJP and shame on all those who support BJP
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tsubba,
Modi/the RSS banned the book. Whoever supports the ban is secondary – whether the congress or the communists. Whoever makes statements supporting or furthering the ban is the same as Modi/RSS in this matter.
BTW nice justification – someone else supports the ban, so it is okay :)
BTW need to get hold of a copy of the book – want to see what blasphemy it contains that it got banned. Or is it just dangerous ideas? Or just simple revenge taking on Jaswant Singh?
First Savitabhabhi, now this book, wonder what comes next?
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when did i say i support the ban? and when did i say it is ok especially bcoz even congress supports it?
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According to some newspaper reports the statistics of the Jinnah book sales in bangalore goes like this –
– Gangaram Bookshop – 12 copies
– Strand – 8 copies
– Landmark – 10 copies
I don’t think there are more than 100 books sold in bangalore. The news of book banning has contribued to more than 90% of this extra sales. Had this ban thing not been there this book would have not sold more than 10 copies in the whole of karnataka. Why would anyone bother to buy this book. Jinnah is a non entity in Bangalore / Karnataka. Our Bangalore is the new Indian metro which was a break from the past and it housed the temples of modern India our industries and public sectors. It is mainly people in North India the Sindhis and Punjabis who were affected and still have a partition hangover. In the south the only Jinnah people relate to is the scheming guy with the one eyed spectacle in Attenborough’s Gandhi.
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History books are meant to be read for historical truth and real events that have been occured in the past.Educated and democratic society take these books and authors with great esteem and honour but unfortunately the ignorant and extremist chief minister of Gujrat made himself equall to Taliban in thoughts and action.Freedom of expression is the very right of every citizen in democracy but BJP and Gujrat chief minister proved himself to be Mullah Ommar and Baitullah mehsud when he ordered banning the book of Jaswanth singh.
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This at least proves that we are not yet a democracy..we have a long way to go before we kick these dictators in the butt…
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I remember the day when the partition was about to began..anyone was able to see the fear of it in their eyes! I can’t define it in my words…being one of the victim of that partition i had to suffer to a total shift of me and my family from lahore in 1947- 48 to punjab as an aftereffect! I still can feel it in my nerve again when i remember my aunt’s line that “we have lost every thing due to this. Jinnah has taken everything from our life(belonging,land,lifestyle)”and making this book…a big hype through this cheap medium of publicity is a shame to that author as well as the publishers for thier huge slaes and royalty..on a presonal opinion i think indian govt should..BAN this book..on the grounds that freedom of speech becames void when it hurts patrotic feelings and..creates a diversion to the old truth said so every indian should condmn anything that gives support to jinnah’s work for our nation beacuse he never worked for welfare of our country…here nothing lies between..hindu or muslim we all suffered..we all!Freedom of expression doesnt mean that you voliate someone’s suffering which they received due to partition were fake.
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