 During the war , Jinnah joined other Indian moderates in supporting the British war effort , hoping that Indians would be rewarded with political freedoms . Jinnah played an important role in the founding of the All India Home Rule League in 1916 . Along with political leaders Annie Besant and Tilak , Jinnah demanded " home rule " for India — the status of a self @-@ governing dominion in the Empire similar to Canada , New Zealand and Australia , although , with the war , Britain 's politicians were not interested in considering Indian constitutional reform . British Cabinet minister Edwin Montagu recalled Jinnah in his memoirs , " young , perfectly mannered , impressive @-@ looking , armed to the teeth with dialectics , and insistent on the whole of his scheme " . 
