Had Tilak lived, Gandhi wouldn't have gone far

Explosive insights like the above and more aptly describe AG Noorani's opus that seeks to unravel the forgotten comradeship between Mohammed Ali Jinnah and Lokmanya Tilak and the subsequent events that led to Partition

The authors of our history books will need to do a rethink after reading AG Noorani's latest book, Jinnah and Tilak: Comrades in the Freedom Struggle. It's through this book, that Noorani reminds readers of the mutual respect and bond shared between two of undivided India's most passionate leaders.

About the book
Few are aware that Jinnah actually defended Tilak in his trial in 1916 on sedition charges and ultimately managed to secure his acquittal. Mumbai was Jinnah's home then. Even after Tilak's death in 1920, Jinnah worked closely with leaders of all denominations.

A distinguished lawyer by profession, Noorani strongly believes that it was much later, in 1937 over the controversy surrounding the United Provinces that Jinnah abandoned his hopes of working with the Congress to seek independence.

In a freewheeling chat, Noorani attempts to dissect these two heavyweights and the post-Tilak years leading up to Partition.

Full report here Mid day