Tuesday, June 7 2005 11:14 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Manali: Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee today (Jun 7, 2005) endorsed L K Advani's comments on Pakistan's founder leader Mohammad Ali Jinnah saying that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president's remarks were being "misinterpreted".

"Whatever has been said is being misinterpreted. His remarks on Jinnah are being misinterpreted," Vajpayee told reporters at Bhuntar airport near Kullu before his departure for Delhi.

Describing Jinnah as the "Janak (Father)" of Pakistan Vajpayee said the Qaid-e-Azam had wanted the people of India and Pakistan to live in harmony, but his intentions were not supported by other Pakistani leaders.

Senior Congress leaders like Sarojini Naidu had also made similar remarks about Jinnah, who had played an important role in the freedom struggle, Vajpayee said adding that everyone had a right to freedom of expression and he did not mind it.

Advani's comments on Jinnah during his weeklong visit to Pakistan had raised the hackles of the Sangh Parivar, which has demanded that he withdraw his comments.