Jaswant lobbied for Jinnah's grandson Wadia: RSS

Expelled Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh on Monday came under fresh attack by the right-wing, when an article in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh mouthpiece accused him of conniving with Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah's grandson Nusli Wadia, to help the latter get possession of a prime property in Mumbai.

RSS ideologue Devendra Swarup has stated in an article in the latest issue of 'Panchjanya' that even before his book Jinnah: India-Partition, Independence' was released, Jaswant Singh called M A Jinnah a nationalist, who did not want partition and was demonised, to create sympathy for the latter.

The writer has said that this appears to have been done to help Jinnah's grandson Nusli Wadia get possession of the Pakistan founder's Rs 2,000 crore property in Mumbai.

"I don't want to say anything for or against the property dispute regarding Jinnah House, but the question does arise that the Wadia family is indulging in 'commercialisation of intellect' by calling Jinnah an Indian nationalist who was opposed to partition," Swarup said.

Accusing Jaswant Singh of defending the Kandahar episode on television channels from 1999 to 2009, Swarup in his article says, "This shows his thinking which puts individual self-respect above national interest and national pride."

He also charges Jaswant Singh with lobbying with the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1999 for handing over Jinnah's property to Wadia.