Meanwhile, Arjun Singh is catching up on his Jinnah reading

And you thought the Congress was just watching the fun? In fact, quite the opposite. Suddenly books on Mohammed Ali Jinnah, biographies, ann...

And you thought the Congress was just watching the fun? In fact, quite the opposite. Suddenly books on Mohammed Ali Jinnah, biographies, annotated letters, writings, all are being dusted out of library selves, the seven volumes of the Complete Works of Jinnah is on its way from a New Delhi bookstore. The Indian Council for Historical Research is digging out all it can on Jinnah: HRD Minister Arjun Singh wants to read.

One book with a very telling title, Secular and Nationalist Jinnah by Delhi University historian Ajeet Jawed, a 1998 publication, has already been issued for ‘‘the HRM’’ from the ICHR library.

Incidentally, Arjun Singh was quick to echo his party line that Advani had found Jinnah secular and the Congress ‘‘pseudo-secular.’’

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Meanwhile, Advani has not only given Jinnah a new lease of life in Indian politics and polemics, he has also found supporters in unusual quarters. One is noted historian Irfan Habib who has been a staunch critic of the NDA government and its history re-writing. ‘‘Advani is on strong enough ground,’’ he said.

Citing the August 11, 1947, Pakistan Constituent Assembly speech which Advani referred to, Habib said: ‘‘The democratic elements in Pakistan have often quoted from this speech in order to oppose the theocratic elements’’.

Debunking the issue as a storm in a tea-cup, historian Mushirul Hassan said: ‘‘Why should we place individuals under a scanner? Jinnah will remain Pakistan’s Quaid-e-Azam whether the media whips up a debate or not.’’

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