Tuesday, August 23 2005 11:10 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Patna: Strongly defending former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his statement on Pakistan founder Mohammed Ali Jinnah in which he called him a secular leader in his initial days, National Democratic Alliance (NDA) convenor George Fernandes yesterday (Aug 22, 2005) said that those who criticised the statement were ignorant of the facts.

''What Vajpayee, and before him Lal Krishna Advani, said about Jinnah is absolutely correct. Those who made such a fuss about it were ignorant of the facts,'' he said responding to questions from reporters on the sidelines of a 'Dalit-Adivasi convention' of the Janata Dal (JD)United (U).

Putting back the Jinnah controversy, which was thought to have been buried by the Sangh fraternity, on the front burner, Vajpayee had yesterday said that the Pakistan founder was a secular leader in his initial days but was later responsible for the Partition.

Asked whether the raking up of the controversy was not avoidable, Fernandes said, ''Controversies often arise but it is important to know the facts of history.''

On whether the NDA would make the controversy over the letter written by Bihar Governor Buta Singh to Railway Minister Lalu Prasad seeking favour for a railway official an issue during the upcoming Assembly elections, he said, ''I hope the Supreme Court is aware of the impropriety committed by the Governor in recommending the dissolution of the House and I am sure that I would pass an order resurrecting the Assembly.''

Replying to a question about whether the JD-U wanted leaders like BJP's Uma Bharti with her 'hard line Hindutva' image to be kept away from campaigning, Fernandes said, ''I have never heard of any such suggestion being made by anyone.''