Jinnah was great, writes Jaswant Singh

New Delhi: Controversy has been sparked by Jaswant Singh's observation regarding partition in his book about India's independence struggle. Mr. Singh has, contrary to popular perception prevailing in India, glorified Jinnah who is often demonised in India, as an ambassador of Hindu-Muslim unity.
Singh’s view of Jinnah is markedly different to the accepted Indian image. He sees him as a nationalist, even accepting that Jinnah was a great Indian.
Jaswant Singh also goes on to term Nehru as one of the principal architects of India's partition. He also writes that Jinnah did not win Pakistan, rather Nehru and Patel conceded Pakistan to Jinnah with help of the British.
The BJP leader supported his opinion saying that till 1945 Jinnah was seeking a solution to the problems between Hindus and Muslims. And consider it not as a communal problem but as the problem of a nation.
Earlier, Advani, senior leader of BJP also faced a lot of public and political scorn when he called Jinnah a great nationalist.
This book can evoke serious contempt from the leaders of RSS which has zero tolerance against the Pakistani leader and is likely to cause turmoil in Indian politics.

Iran's Ahmadinejad to name 3 women ministers

TEHRAN- Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Sunday he would propose at least three women ministers in his new cabinet following June's disputed election, an unprecedented move in the conservative Islamic state.
It would be the first time a woman would hold such a ministerial position in Iran since its 1979 Islamic revolution. One woman minister under the shah's government, Farrokhroo Parsa, was executed after the revolution in 1980.
Ahmadinejad has until Aug. 19 to present a cabinet to parliament for approval but may get a rough ride from the conservatives who dominate the assembly, as well as from his moderate foes who dispute his election victory.
"With the 10th presidential election, we have entered a new era ... conditions changed completely and the government (make-up) will see major changes," Ahmadinejad told state television.
He named two of his proposed female ministers and said at least one more would be added to the list.
The ones he named were Fatemeh Ajorlou, now a member of parliament, as social welfare minister and Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi as health minister.
"At least one more will be added," Ahmadinejad said.
He also said Heydar Moslehi, now an adviser to Ahmadinejad on clerical affairs, would be nominated as new intelligence minister.
Iranian media last month reported that Ahmadinejad had sacked Intelligence Minister Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei.
Economy Minister Shamseddin Hosseini would retain the post.