India won freedom
due to the blood and tears shed by hundreds of valiant revolutionaries and
their families. They sacrificed everything for securing the freedom of our
motherland. They braved British
barbarity and faced death, deportation, imprisonment and forfeiture of
property. Freedom was certainly not won by pleas, prayers and petitions. It was
won substantially by violent and armed struggle by revolutionaries, a process
that culminated in the Naval Uprising of 1946 and subsequent independence on
Aug 15, 1947. But certain political parties like Congress and communists have
tried to paint demonize these brave patriots for their petty, puny political
interests. The most important misunderstood Indian revolutionary was Vinayak
Damodar Savarkar (May 28,1883 – February 26, 1966).
Many people may
be surprised to hear that Savarkar was not just a fearless freedom fighter, but
also a politician, poet, writer, social reformer and a philosopher. He remains
largely unknown to the masses because of the vicious propaganda against him and
misunderstanding around him that has been created over several decades. I am
writing this article mainly in response to my communist friends who call
Savarkar a ‘coward’ and a communalist. May be they won’t understand, but I
hope, common people would try to understand the life of this patriot.
WHY
SAVARKAR IS UNIQUE IN INDIAN FREEDOM STRUGGLE?
The first political leader to
daringly set Absolute Political Independence as India's goal (1900).
The first Indian political
leader to daringly perform a bonfire of foreign (English) clothes (1905).
The first Indian to organize a
revolutionary movement for India's Independence on an international
level (1906).
The first Indian law student
who was not called to the English Bar despite having passed his examination and
observed the necessary formalities, for his activities to seek India's freedom
from the British (1909).
The only Indian leader whose
arrest in London caused legal difficulties for British Courts and whose case is
still referred to in the interpretations of the Fugitive Offenders Act and
the Habeas Corpus (Rex Vs Governor of Brixton Prison, ex-parte
Savarkar)
The first Indian historian
whose book on the 1857 War of Independence was proscribed by British
Authorities in India even before its publication. The Governor General had
asked the Postmaster General to confiscate copies of the book six months before
the book was officially banned (1909).
The first political prisoner
whose daring escape and arrest on French soil became a cause celebre in
the International Court of Justice at The Hague. This case was mentioned in
many International Treaties at that time (1910).
The first graduate whose degree
was withdrawn by an Indian University for striving for India's freedom (1911).
The first poet in the world
who, deprived of pen and paper, composed his poems and then wrote them on the
prison walls with thorns and nails, memorized ten thousand lines of his poetry
for years and later transmitted them to India through his fellow-prisoners who
also memorized these lines.
The first revolutionary leader
who within less than 10 years gave a death-blow to the practice of
untouchability in the remote district of Ratnagiri while being interned there.
The first Indian leader who
successfully started -
A Ganeshotsava open to all Hindus including
ex-untouchables (1930).
Interdining ceremonies of all Hindus including
ex-untouchables (1931).
"Patitpavan Mandir", open to all
Hindus including ex-untouchables (22 February 1931).
A cafe open to all Hindus including
ex-untouchables (01 May 1933).
The first political prisoner in
the world who was sentenced to Transportation for Life twice, a sentence
unparalleled in the history of the British Empire.
The first political leader to
embrace death voluntarily by way of Atma Samarpan in the
highest tradition of Yoga (1966).
VEER
SAVARKAR :- A FEARLESS REVOLUTIONARY
Vinayak Damodar
Savarkar, popularly known as Veer Savarkar was born in Nashik on May 28, 1883.
The whole Savarkar family was deeply spiritual and fiercely patriotic. Having
lost his parents at a very young age, his elder brother Babarao Savarkar
had a profound influence on him. Vinayak
was only 15 years old when he took an oath before the family deity to conduct
armed revolt to free our motherland from the tyrannic British rule.
Savarkar’s
role in freedom struggle began in 1900 with the formation of Mitra Mela, a
secret revolutionary society. This organization conducted various progammes to
instill patriotism among the Indian youngsters. In 1904, he founded Abhinav
Bharat, the secret revolutionary organization in Nashik and later founded a
branch of it later in London too. He was also at forefront in the agitation
against the Partition of Bengal (1905) and the Swadeshi campaign. He was
inspired by the activities of Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala
Lajpat Rai. In 1906, Savarkar left for London to be a barrister.
“We must stop complaining about this British officer
or that officer, this law or that law. There would be no end to that. Our
movement must not be limited to being against any particular law, but it must
be for acquiring the authority to make laws itself. In other words, we want
absolute independence.”
- Savarkar during the formation of
Free India Society
It
was during his life in London, he wrote his famous Indian War of Independence 1857.
The book was banned throughout the British Empire. Madame Bhikaji
Cama obtained its publication in the Netherlands, France and Germany. Widely
smuggled and circulated, the book attained great popularity and influenced
rising young Indians. This book was inspiration to thousands of Indian
revolutionaries including the bravehearts in Ghadar Party, then Bhagat Singh
and his friends as well as Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and his Indian National
Army (INA).
Savarkar
also studied revolutionary methods and he came into contact with a veteran of
the Russian Revolution of 1905 who imparted him the knowledge of
bomb-making. Savarkar had printed and circulated a manual amongst his friends
on bomb-making and other methods of guerrilla warfare. He turned India
House into a hub for Indian revolutionaries and was behind the assassinations
of two cruel high-ranking British officers Curzon Wylie (by Madan Lal Dhingra)
and A.M.T Jackson (by Anant Kanhare).
Savarkar
was arrested by the British Police in London in March 1910 and was transported
to India to be tried in the Jackson murder case. In the final days of freedom,
Savarkar wrote letters to a close friend planning his escape. Knowing that he
would most likely be shipped to India, Savarkar asked his friend to keep track
of which ship and route he would be taken through. When the ship S.S.
Morea reached the port of Marseille on 8 July 1910, Savarkar
escaped from his cell through a porthole and dived into the water, swimming to
the shore in the hope that his friend would be there to receive him in a car.
But his friend was late in arriving, and the alarm having been raised, Savarkar
was re-arrested.
Savarkar’s
arrest in Marseille caused International dispute and it came before the
Permanent Court of International Arbitration in 1910, and it gave its
decision in 1911 [see Arrest and Return of Savarkar (France v. Great
Britain)]. He was finally transported to
Bombay and was sentenced to 50 years imprisonment and later to the horrific
Cellular Jail in Andamans.
DID SAVARKAR FILE A MERCY PETITION?
It must be realized that rotting in British
jails was not the aim of Savarkar's revolutionary struggle. In his My
Transportation for Life he writes," Excluding deceitful treason, you may
accept other conditions in national interest and free yourself. After becoming
free, you may resume nationalistic activity". It is significant that
Savarkar disapproved of political prisoners fasting themselves to death. In
this context, it is noteworthy that Savarkar had termed the self-sacrifice of
Rajputs as being praiseworthy but not worthy of emulation. Savarkar was a true
disciple of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Shivaji too had written to Aurangzeb to secure
his release. Will these worthies call Chhatrapati Shivaji a collaborator of the
Mughals? Savarkar was the first Indian student not called to the Bar because of
his anti-British activities. What kind of life did Savarkar face in the jail in
the Andamans from 1911 to 1924? The history ticket of Savarkar tells the story.
Here are few notings:
6 months solitary confinement;
Seven days standing handcuffs
Absolutely refusing to work, ten days cross bar
fetters imposed. (Source material for a history of the freedom movement in
India Vol. II., Bombay Government publication, pp 478/479).
Are these indicators of a secret understanding
with the British? Far from his spirit being broken by the inhuman prison
conditions, Savarkar displayed rare courage. In the absence of resources,
Savarkar wrote more than 5000 lines of sublime poetry on the prison walls and
memorized them! This is a unique example in the annals of world literature. Is
this the mark of a man whose spirit had been broken? The testimonies of the
British officials regarding Savarkar indicate that far from being sympathetic
to him, they were wary of him and indeed dreaded him. There is a following
noting, "He is always suave and polite but like his brother, he has never
shown any disposition to actively assist Government. It is impossible to say
what his real political views are at the present time" (ibid, p.464). The
following three excerpts from the same source show how desperate the British
government was to prevent release of the Savarkar brothers:
"Bombay Government does not recommend any
remission of the sentences passed upon Ganesh Damodar Savarkar and Vinayak Damodar
Savarkar" (p.467)
"Government of India agrees that the
Savarkar brothers should not be released under the Royal Amnesty." This is
dated 8th December 1919 (p.469).
"The Government of Bombay by their letter
No. 1106/36, Home Department, dated 29th February 1921, informed the Government
of India that the Governor in Council was not in favour of the transfer of the
Savarkar brothers from Andamans to a jail in the Bombay Presidency, as that
would lead to a recrudescence of agitation in their favour."
It is not surprising that Savarkar's prison
ticket worn round his neck carried the letter 'D' which stood for 'Dangerous'!
Much has been made of his 1913 petition to the British seeking his release.
Savarkar’s detractors have cleverly concealed the following extract that
appears in the same petition, "If the manhood of the nation be allowed to
phase glories and responsibilities of the empire with perfect equality with
other citizens of it, then Indian patriots of all shades and opinions can
conscientiously feel that burning sense of loyalty that one feels for one's
motherland. I also beg to submit that nothing can contribute so much to the
widening and deepening of the sentiment of loyalty as a general release of all
those prisoners who had been convicted for committing political offences in
India. With my exception, let all the rest be released. Let the volunteer
movement go on and I will rejoin in that"(emphasis ours). Savarkar's
disregard for his personal welfare and his concern for fellow inmates stand out
in this petition. He further says in his narrative," In case the
government suspected, I wrote in conclusion my motive in writing the letter
(September 1914). I offered to do so without any release for myself personally.
Let them release all the political prisoners in the country, leaving me alone
in my cell in the Andamans. I shall rejoice in their freedom as if it was my
own. The government was right in suspecting me; perhaps when free, I might lead
an agitation to break the peace in India. I had not written the letter to seek
my own liberation or to compel them to set me free along with other political
prisoners involved in similar or the same political conspiracies. Hence I had
the proposal to keep me back and set all others free (ibid, p 341)". Even
after his release from the Andamans, the British hounded Savarkar. He was
incarcerated in the relatively backward district of Ratnagiri. His weekly
Shraddhanand was banned. The British never returned his ancestral property that
they had confiscated.
It
should also be noted that the Savarkar had acted against British rule after he
was released from prison in 1924. Just remember the attempted murder of Acting
Governor of Bombay Ernest Hotson in 1931 (by Vasudeo Balwant Gogte). Savarkar
was also instrumental in giving Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose the idea of
organizing a revolutionary army abroad with the help of the Axis Powers when
they met in 1940.
Netaji
in his speech on Azad Hind Radio (June 25, 1944) acknowledged Savarkar's
perspicacity in these words:
"When due to misguided political whims and lack
of vision, almost all the leaders of Congress party have been decrying all the
soldiers in Indian Army as mercenaries, it is heartening to know that Veer
Savarkar is fearlessly exhorting the youths of India to enlist in armed forces.
These enlisted youths themselves provide us with trained men and soldiers for
our Indian National Army."
So
did Savarkar turn, pro-British? Definitely not!!
Statue of Veer Savarkar at Cellular Jail
SAVARKAR AND INDIAN MINORITIES
I
have seen many of my leftist friends saying Savarkar as a anti-Muslim. Was he
anti-Muslim? Let the facts speak for itself.
“Hindus are the heart of Hindustan. Nevertheless,
just as the beauty of the rainbow is not impaired but enhanced by its various
hues, so also Hindustan will look the more beautiful across the sky by
assimilating all the best from the Muslim, Parsi, Jewish and other
civilisations.”
- Savarkar’s
speech in 1909 Dusserha gathering of Indians in London.
Savarkar’s stance on Hindu-Muslim unity:-
'if
you come, with you; if you don't without you; and if you oppose, in spite of
you - the Hindus will continue to fight for their National Freedom as best as
they can'!
All
these points show that there is no way that Savarkar can be anti-Muslim or
anti-Christian. If he spoke up against the fanaticism amongst some Muslims, he
can’t be villified as anti-Muslim. I also request the readers to see the fact
that in his book, First War of Indian Independence, 1857, he had no problems in
praising the patriotism of Azimullah Khan or Moulavi Ahmad Shah along with Nana
Saheb Peshwa, Tantya Tope and Rani Laxmi Bai. He had Muslim and Chrisitian
friends like Asaf Ali and Dr. Sequeria De Coutinho who were prominent Indian
revolutionaries in Abhinav Bharat movement. I further request you to read the
following excerpt from Savakar’s book – ‘My Transportation for Life.’
" I
have no hatred in my heart for Muslim or Christian brothers or even for those
living in tribes in primitive state. I do not even despise any of them. I
oppose only that section of it vehemently which is oppressive and violent
towards others."
It
may be also noted to show how Savarkar was a staunch defender of Indian
nationalism.
“We
are trying our best, as we ought to do, to develop the consciousness of and a
sense of attachment to the greater whole, whereby Hindus, Mohammedans, Parsis
Christians, and Jews would feel as Indians first and every other thing
afterwards.” (Essentials of Hindutva – Page 54)
I hope this will
satisfy the Savarkar-bashers!
SAVARKAR AND GANDHI MURDER
I
have seen many of the communists and Congressmen yelling that Savarkar was
responsible for the murder of Gandhiji. Hence, I would now like to the state
the relations between Savarkar and Gandhi and how he was accquitted by the
courts.
Interactions between Savarkar and Gandhi:-
Savarkar came to
London on 24 June 1906. His activities started immediately thereafter. Gandhi
came to London in October, leading a deputation on behalf of Indians in South
Africa, who were facing severe discrimination there. Gandhi had no reason to
visit the India House, a house in Highgate, London converted into an Indian
students’ hostel. He was 14 years older than Savarkar and was not new to
London. He studied Law in London during 1888-1891. But the reputation of
Savarkar was such that Gandhi could not resist the temptation of meeting him.
Despite having
passed his examinations in July 1909, Savarkar was not called to the Bar by the
benchers of Grays Inn because of his political activities (namely, fighting for
the freedom of India from British rule).
Gandhi was once
again in London in November. Savarkar then organized a public gathering of
Indians to celebrate the festival of Vijayadashami. He requested Gandhi to be
its Chairman. In his speech Gandhi said, “Though I have my differences with
Savarkar, I consider it a great honour to be in his company today.” Referring
to the fact that Savarkar was not called to the Bar, Gandhi said, “May India
bear the fruits of his sacrifices.”
In 1923, Savarkar
was sent to Yerawada Jail in Pune. Gandhi was also kept in the same jail, but
the two were not allowed to meet.
In 1927, Savarkar
was in internment in Ratnagiri. Gandhi who was then on a tour of Maharashtra
happened to visit that town. As Savarkar was ill, he invited Gandhi to his
house. Gandhi and his wife Kasturba gladly accepted the invitation on 08 March.
In response to a
civic reception given by Ratnagiri Municipality, Gandhi said,
“As
Ratnagiri is the birth place of Lokmanya Tilak, it is a place of pilgrimage to
all Indians. I wanted to visit this place because, in addition, it is also a
place where Savarkar lives. I had previously met him in London. I admire his
patriotism and sacrifices. As he is in internment, it was my duty to come to
Ratnagiri to meet him"
Was Savarkar accquitted solely on technical grounds?
Savarkar
disapproved of assassination as a method of conducting politics in free India.
In fact, even during his revolutionary days in London, when some hotheads in
the revolutionary camp thought of killing moderate leader GK Gokhale for his
timid attitude, Savarkar had rebuked them and bitterly condemned that very
sinful thought. He voiced a timely warning that such a mad act and attack on
one of their compatriots for his own way of thinking would imperil the power
and prestige of the revolutionary movement (My Transportation for Life, p 163).
Savarkar never involved himself in Godse's enterprise of starting a paper and
never contributed a column as requested by Godse. Godse had lost faith in the
ability of the Hindu Mahasabha to stem the tide of Partition and had started
his own organization. Savarkar had recognized and welcomed the post-Partition
Indian state and hoisted the tricolour, something that Godse had disapproved.
Godse himself had denied that Savarkar had any role in Gandhi's assassination.
Even under extreme torture, none of the accused had named Savarkar. The Special
Court had acquitted Savarkar. The Nehru government, which was hell-bent on
framing Savarkar, dared not go in appeal against Savarkar's acquittal.
It
should also be noted that Savarkar lived till 1966 (17 years after his
accquittal in Gandhi murder case). The refusal of Nehru govt shows that his
accquittal had been not just on technical grounds.
SAVARKAR - AN EXTRA-ORDINARY INNINGS AS A WRITER AND POET.
Another important fact buried by the Leftists is the enormous contribution of Savarkar towards the Marathi literature. His poems in Marathi like 'Kamala' and many others were the symbols of his uncompromising patriotism. His major works were Hindu Pad-Padashahi, the History of the Maratha Empire, The History of Sikhs (which was lost) and finally the 'Six Glorious Epochs of Indian History'. This final book was written mainly to refute the utterly incorrect argument that India's history as a series of defeats. In this epic book, Savarkar narrates the tale of Indian victories over invaders right from the ancient times.
CONCLUSION
Hence,
we must infer from these facts that the position of Savarkar in the Indian
freedom struggle is at par with Gandhiji and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, if
not more. So, I request my friends to accept the fact. You people may not
accept his political ideology, but please respect his unapologetic patriotism
and devotion to Bharat Mata.
Vande
Mataram!!
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
pays tributes to Veer Savarkar in the Parliament of India
REFERENCES
Books:-
1) My
transportation for Life
2) Essentials of
Hindutva
3) Savarkar and
his Times, by Dhanjay Keer
Websites:-
Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri, hero of 1965 War.
