Page:The Life of Lokamanya Tilak.djvu/297

 appeared for the plaintiff and Sir Edward Carson; assisted by two others, defended Sir V. Chirol, the writer, and Messrs. Macmillan and Comapany, the Publishers of the " Indian Unrest."

Mr. Tilak complained that Sir V. Chirol had libelled him in six different ways. Though he had never started, nor had ever been a subscriber to any cow-protection society, he was charged with having started the organisation as a provocative to the Mahomedans. Though he had never organised gymnastic societies, he was accused of having done so with the object of developing the martial instincts of the people for the ultimate purpose of employing force. These gymnastic societies, have been also called " Juvenile bands of dacoits to swell the coffers of Swaraj*' Further, the High Court judgment (1910) in the Tai Maharaj ^se was quoted by Sir. V. Chirol as being " extremely damaging to Tilak's private reputation as a man of honour or even of common honesty."

Most important of all were the libels in connection with the Rand-Ayerst and the Jackson murders : —

"What Tilak could do by secret agitation and by a rabid campaign in the Press to raise popular resentment to white-heat he did The inevitable consequences ensued. On June 27th, 1897 Mr. Rand and Lieut. Ayerst were shot down by a young Chitpawan Brahmin. No direct connection has been establishmed between the crime and Tilak." (Page 48 — Indian Unrest).

"In reply to the Magistrate who asked him why he committed the murder, Kanhere said ' I read of many instances of oppression in the Kesari, the Rashtramat^