LUCKNOW - Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh’s controversial book on Pakistan’s founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah was consigned to flames by Uttar Pradesh Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Pramod Tiwari here Tuesday afternoon.

A large number of Congressmen cheered him as he made a bonfire of the book, “Jinnah - India, Partition, Independence”, which has already sparked off a debate in the corridors of power in New Delhi.

“What angered me most was the sweeping criticism of personalities like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, whom he sought to label as culprits for India’s partition,” Tiwari said.

“On the other hand, the book showers praises on Mohammad Ali Jinnah, because of whom Pakistan was created.”

Justifying his action, he said, “the book is not meant to be read, so I decided to consign it to flames and that is what it deserves.”

When it was pointed out that the former finance and defence minister’s own party had distanced itself from the book, Tiwari said: “That criticism could not be relied upon because BJP leaders were by habit double-faced.

“In the past also, when L.K. Advani went to Pakistan and showered praise on Jinnah, he was lambasted by his party insiders, who themselves later projected him as PM-in- waiting.”