Patrick French on India and Bollywood

He first came to Mumbai in 1996. That was also his first visit to India. He wanted to write about India.

But celebrated British writer and historian Patrick French did not expect the call for ban on his book Liberty or Death — India’s Journey to Independence and Division.

His take on Mahatma Gandhi and Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s role in the Independence Movement wasn’t taken too kindly. The fear of being looked at as an outsider crossed his mind when he started out, but being married to an Indian woman has given him a different perspective.

“Back then, there was a feeling that people were obliged to be more respectable to the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi and they felt that I was too sympathetic to Jinnah. But today if somebody wrote a book on 26/11 nobody would be bothered in the slightest bit. I think it is to do with what is acceptable at a particular time,” says French.

Full report here DNA

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

Indian writer calls for re-examining Jinnah's role

India should reclaim Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah and Pakistan should accept his mistakes , said senior Indian advocate and historian A.G. Noorani on Tuesday.
In his brief talk on Jinnah and Tilak: Comrades in the Freedom Struggle , organized by Mohatta Palace Museum and Oxford University Press (OUP), he explained that Quaid-e-Azam s greatness would not be diminished by merely mentioning his misjudgments.
Talking about different aspects of Quaid s personality like a legislator who used to regularly attend the legislature s proceedings, Noorani said Mohammad Ali Jinnah was a liberal and social reformer and it was Gandhi who inducted religion in politics. However, he said that Jinnah supported reasonable criticism on the religion and he (Jinnah) was of the view that such criticism should be protected by law.

He opined that had Quaid not mobilized Pakistan Muslim League, it would have been in troubles. He also criticized the role of Jawaharlal Nehru who once said that there was no place for Jinnah in India. He also shattered certain myths about the Quaid s personality.
Talking about relationship between Jinnah and Tilak, Noorani pointed out that the Quaid defended Tilak in 1916 in his trial under sedition charges and ultimately won his acquittal. He believed that Jinnah was also instrumental in the reentry of Tilak into Indian National Congress.
During question session, when certain people from audience asked A.G. Noorani to become more specific when he talked about Quaid s mistakes, Noorani responded by saying please read my book .
When a similar question was put by some other people from audience to explain as to whether he meant the creation of Pakistan was a mistake , Noorani again responded by saying that he would not respond in yes or no and added he would rather appreciate criticism of this nature about his book. He said it would be wrong to say that Jinnah had no choice but to accept Pakistan.
As this question was repeatedly asked, it prompted Hameed Haroon of the Mohatta Palace Museum to ask the audience to restrict their questions about the personality of Quaid-e-Azam and other personalities like Nehru and others of his era, as it would be a great tribute to Jinnah to reexamine his role and personality.
To a question about Jinnah s relevance for today, Noorani said he would not have wasted his time in writing the book had Jinnah not been relevant for today.

Full report here The International News