Maneka criticises Jaswant's expulsion

“Bina unki kitab ko padhe unhen nikalna theek nahin tha”(It was not proper to expel Jaswant Singh without reading his book), Maneka Gandhi said in an informal chat with reporters after addressing a public meeting in her Lok Sabha constituency of Aonla, about 250 km from here.

“Jaswant is a thorough gentleman and a very honest individual,” she said. Maneka’s support to Jaswant Singh comes amid infighting within the party and speculation over change of leadership. Maneka, however, declined to comment on Jaswant’s controversial book, Jinnah-India, Partition, Independence, which led to his expulsion from the party. “It will not be proper for me to make any comment on the book without reading it,” Maneka said when asked for her comments on Jaswant Singh’s views on Jinnah. Maneka expressed serious concern over the ongoing infighting in the party and said  small and big leaders were “breaking discipline by their uncalled for statements.”