The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the Gujarat government on a petition filed by expelled Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jaswant Singh challenging the ban on his book Jinnah: India, Partition-Independence.
The Narender Modi-led Bharatiya Janata Party government in Gujarat had banned Jaswant's book alleging that it defamed the country's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
'Jaswant's book questions role of Sardar Patel during the partition of India as well as his patriotic spirit. This is an attempt to tarnish the image of Patel who is considered the architect of modern united India,' a statement issued by the state government had said.
'It is a bid to defame Patel by distorting historical facts. So, the state government has decided to ban the book with immediate effect for wider public interest. As per the ban, there cannot be sale, distribution or publication of the book in the state,' it said.
'The book has been banned because it contains defamatory references regarding Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel who is considered as the architect of the modern India,' a senior minister in the state government had said.
The ban on Jaswant's book came after he was expelled from the party during its Chintan Baithak in Shimla more than a fortnight ago.
