IANS

Ahmedabad, Sep 4: The Gujarat High Court Friday overturned the state government's ban on former central minister Jaswant Singh's book "Jinnah: India-Partition-Independence".

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in the state had banned the book Aug 19, two days after it was released in New Delhi and on the day Singh was expelled from the party for his views on Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

The court, hearing a public interest petition, ruled against the ban.

State government spokesman Jay Narayan Vyas had initially justified the ban saying the book had objectionable references to India's first home minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

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 told CNN-IBN television channel, "one should not have to go to the court for this".

"I have not abused anybody, so why (ban the book)?", the former minister for finance, defence and external affairs said.