Rupa Publishers rush 5,000 copies of ‘Jinnah: India, Partition – Independence’ to Gujarat

Rupa & Co, publishers of expelled BJP leader Jaswant Singh's controversial book Jinnah: India, Partition – Independence have rushed 5,000 copies to Gujarat to meet the rising demand from the state. The company rushed the copies within 24 hours of the Gujarat High Court revoking the ban on the book clamped by the Gujarat government.

The book was banned on 19 August, two days after its release, on fears that it might lead to communal disturbances in the state. The book was also banned for alleged derogatory content about India's first home minister, Sardar Vallabhai Patel.

Rupa & Company chairman, R K Mehra said the book has generated a tremendous demand for which the publishing house has dispatched consignments of copies to Baroda, Ahmedabad and other cities in the state.

Mehra added that over 1,000 copies were flown from New Delhi to Mumbai immediately after the publishers learned of the court verdict.

The rest of the copies have been sent by rail. The Gujarati edition of the book would soon be available on the stands in state, Mehra said.

The High Court set aside the government notification on grounds of violation of the fundamental rights of citizens.

Jaswant Singh said he was thrilled at the judgment and felt his stand had been vindicated. However, he voiced his dismay at the courts having had to intervene in the matter.

Earlier, the apex court had issued a notification to the state government in response to a petition filed by Singh that sought to challenge the ban.