Jinnah chapter reopened, in 24 pages

But while ostensibly about Katasraj, the booklet is clearly an attempt to reiterate Advani’s position on the ’’secular vision’’ of Jinnah, despite the severe criticism of his formulation from the RSS and sections of the BJP.

It reprints the full text of Advani’s speech at a function organised by the Karachi Council of Foreign Relations including a long reference to Jinnah’s August 11, 1947 speech—reprinted in bold—in which he outlined his vision of a secular Pakistan.

The booklet also reprints Advani’s speech made on February 28, 2004 (when he was deputy prime minister) at a book release function. In that speech, Advani had referred to the Jinnah speech and the need to build bridges with Pakistan.

The booklet also contains extracts from the speech delivered by Advani in Lok Sabha on July 26 this year on his Pakistan visit in which he reiterates that ‘‘there was nothing wrong’’ in his reference to Jinnah.

The publication of the booklet, at the behest of Advani, is significant because it amounts to a defiance of the RSS line. Not just the RSS but even the BJP leadership slammed Advani for his comments on Jinnah and issued a statement (soon after Advani returned) attacking Jinnah’s two-nation theory and his role in the Partition and its bloody aftermath.

Advani never expressed regret for his remarks. The decision to release the booklet just weeks before the BJP national executive meeting in Chennai in mid-September is being seen as open defiance of the RSS viewpoint. By reiterating his views on Jinnah’s secularism without taking into account the other side of Jinnah, Advani appears ready for a confrontation with the Parivar, BJP insiders feel.

The booklet was given out to BJP MPs at the parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday.