Jaswant Singh stands by his comments on Jinnah

Jaswant Singh, who on Thursday returned to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 10 months after he was expelled for his book praising Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah, has stressed he could not "disown the book".

Jaswant Singh, who on Thursday returned to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 10 months after he was expelled for his book praising Pakistan founder Mohammad Ali Jinnah, has stressed he could not "disown the book".

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In an interview to NDTV's Barkha Dutt, Singh said: "I cannot disown the book on Jinnah".

"'Jinnah is an ambassador of Hindu Muslim unity' is not a comment made by me. It is said by Gopal Krishna Gokhale and repeated by Sarojini Naidu. These are historical facts about Jinnah and can't be wished away just because we disagree."

Singh, who is the MP from Darjeeling, was re-admitted into the party in the presence of senior leaders including L.K.Advani, party chief Nitin Gadkari and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj.

"Its good to be back in a familiar surrounding among familiar faces. I thank (senior party leader L.K.) Advaniji who took the initiative and telephoned me to come over and meet him," Singh told media persons at the BJP headquarters.

Welcoming Singh back to the party fold, Advani said: "It's a matter of happiness and sense of relief that he is back in the party. I welcome him and I am confident we will get his support and direction for running the party."