The Gujarat High Court has set aside the Modi government's order banning Jaswant Singh's book on Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah. The court, hearing a public interest petition, ruled against the ban. The ban curtails fundamental rights, the high court said. The Gujarat government had banned the expelled BJP leader's book Jinnah – India, Partition, Independence. The state government claimed the contents of the book tarnished Sardar Patel's image. The Modi government alleged the book was an attempt to defame the image of the country's first home minister Vallabhbhai Patel by “questioning his patriotic spirit.” “Jaswant Singh's book questions role of Sardar Patel during the partition of India as well as his patriotic spirit. This is an attempt to tarnish the image of Patel who is considered the architect of modern united India,” a statement issued by the state government had said. “It is a bid to defame Patel by distorting historical facts,” it charged. Elated by the decision, Jaswant Singh said he was “thrilled” by the high court judgement and added it was a positive reflection on the judiciary. But, he said, “one should not have to go to the court for this.” “I have not abused anybody, so why (ban the book)?” he added. The expelled leader had earlier criticized the ban, saying it amounted to “banning thinking.” “The day we start banning books, we are banning thinking,” said Singh, who was expelled by BJP. The controversial book lauds the founder of Pakistan and holds India's first PM Jawaharlal Nehru and its first home minister Vallabhbhai Patel responsible for the country's partition in 1947.
