Puran Chand Sharma
“Tree must love the ground on which it stands” is well couched moral and motivational statement which generates instant energy and pulls out people from dormant state of consumptive inertia to promptly drive them into active mode for achieving the best for the country in which they are born and brought up by the will of providence. Indian History pertaining to the difficult period of foreign aggressions and invasions leading to sustained armed struggle by the revolutionary patriots to decimate the colonial rule. The moot point in this context is that revolutionaries do possess a special DNA of filial love for the country. We as a grateful nation are deeply indebted to their contribution, sufferings and sacrifices for winning comprehensive freedom for our rightful and proud existence. But while studying our chequered history of freedom movement we come across a very prominent name ‘Veer Savarkar’ who was exceptionally multitalented patriot who took cudgels against the mighty colonial Empire, awakened and inspired youth of India for active participation in the war of freedom leaving aside their lucrative careers. Savarkar not only challenged the intractable and well entrenched British Empire on the Indian soil but also kept them on the tenterhooks in their own country.
Alas, Savarkar, a man of letters and blessed with unique traits has been unnecessarily embroiled in ludicrous misconceptions with regard to his approach and strategy to deal with and successfully handling the crafty and ruthless foreign rulers of the times. Predominantly these unsavoury misconceptions have been floated by a strong pro British, pampered political lobby in the country, authors with communist bent of mind and the branded touts from lutyens media. The flurry of misconceptions revolving around Savarkar has not declined even after the extinction of colonial rule and the country attaining the status of sovereign Republic. Prominent leaders of our mainstream political parties do not skip any opportune moment to dispute Savarkar’s contribution and impact of his patriotic exploits vis-a-vis the tyrannies and brutalities coupled with unparalleled suppression unleashed by the barbaric and inhuman English Lords. Really one is baffled at their ignorance and haughtiness to degrade and sully the prestige of a towering patriot credited with substantial role in writing the obituary of British Empire. The major thrust and focus of this Article is to apprise the esteemed readers about the scintillating achievements of Savarkar and lay to rest the meaningless and superfluous misconceptions about this cynosure of nationalism. When we dive deep into the annals of Indian History, we come across unique revelations about his character and personality. Let us enjoy understanding a true stalwart with a pinpointed mind and analytical thought process:-
VINAYAK DAMODAR SAVARKAR popularly known as Veer Savarkar was born in 1883 in Nasik, Maharashtra to Damodar Pant and Radhabai, departed from this mortal world in 1966 in Bombay. historians project him as a great revolutionary in the history of India’s struggle for Independence plus an outstanding orator, scholar, prolific writer, Historian, poet, philosopher and social worker. Savarkar belonged to the rarest of the rare species of people who were blessed with uncanny knack of changing the history. There are some people who create a new history on the basis of their indomitable courage and valour whereas few others do this miracle with their powerful pen. He brilliantly made use of both of these skills to change the flow of scripting new history. While studying in the Poona college he wrote poems on patriotism to motivate the young students and actively participated in the Swadeshi Movement. He also founded a revolutionary organization namely ABHINAV BHARAT in Poona. The lion hearted Savarkar boycotted coronation ceremony of King Edward-7dubbing it as ‘Festival of slavery’. Lokmanya Tilak was very happy to see such activities of the dare devil, managed to grant him Shiva ji Scholarship with the support of Shyam ji Krishan Varma. Accordingly Savarkar proceeded to England on 9 June,1906. He studied law in London from 1906 to 1910 wherein as a student he authored a book “Indian war of Independence, 1857″. In this book he took the view ” Indian mutiny of 1857 was the first expression of Indian mass rebellion against British colonial rule. In due course of time Savarkar was arrested in the year 1910 on account of his persistently increasing anti British activities and was booked under charges of subversion and Incitement to war, sent to India for trial and was convicted. Simultaneously he was subjected to second trial for assassination of British Distt Magistrate and after sentencing Savarkar was detained in cellular Jail at Andaman Island for life. Subsequently he was brought back to India in 1921 and released in 1924.
During the course of imprisonment he wrote another Book ‘ Hindutva:- who is a Hindu’ in the year 1923 wherein he defined Indian culture as “Manifestation of Hindu values.” It became a major tenet of Hindu Nationalist Ideology.” Braveheart Savarkar resided in Ratnagiri, India and joined Hindu Mahasabha in 1937, served as its President for seven years, returned to Bombay in 1943. Thereafter when Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination happened in 1948 by Nathu Ram Godse , he was also implicated in this serious case, faced the trial and was acquitted as sequel to insufficient evidence. Dare devil Savarkar used to write inspiring poems on the walls of Jail, memorised and sent them to India.
He was freed from Andaman on 21 January, 1924. Fearless and undeterred Savarkar again made an explosive and highly provocative speech against the colonial rulers resulting into his immediate imprisonment from Ratnagiri and liberated in 1937. Ban from his book ‘1857 war of Independence”was lifted in 1948. He was the only revolutionary sentenced for double life imprisonment. The British and communist authors had projected Nana sahib, Rani Luxmibai, Tantya Tope and other patriots as plunderers, terrorists and rebels etc. but the book written by Savarkar based on authentic evidence proved to be master piece for presenting our real heroes in the right perspective. One liner message for political leaders is ‘ Politics is for power and Governance and not for degrading the status of patriotic revolutionaries who in true sense of the term are arbiters of sovereignty of our Nation like soldiers. Vande Matram.
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