Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, popularly known as Swatantra Veer Savarkar, was a Hindu Nationalist, Independence activist, Writer and Indian Politician. Savarkar is often revered for safeguarding the lost beacon of Hinduism, Hindutva, and Sanatana Dharma. Savarkar served his life to the notion of shielding the cultural heritage and Independence of the nation through Abhinav Bharat Society, Hindu Mahasabha, India House, Free India Society and many other mediums. Savarkar’s indelible sacrifice of guarding the nation against British Colonialism and Islamic Bigotry has exceptional luminosity.
Savarkar: A teacher of Independence Struggle
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar ran two nationalist organizations centred towards the Independence of India: Abhinav Bharat Mandal and Free India Society. Under these organizations, Savarkar trained and shaped many revolutionaries like Madan Lal Dhingra, Anant Laxman Kanhere and Madam Bhikaji Cama. British sources further claimed that Savarkar had his hand in assassinating William Hutt Curzon Wyllie as Madan Lal Dhingra was acting on the thoughts of Savarkar.
The Savarkar brothers (Ganesh and Vinayak) also used to organize “Mitra Mela” in Nasik to mobilize freedom revolutionaries from all over India to make strategies and plans against waging open war against the British government for Independence.
In 1909, Savarkar was arrested on the charges of plotting an armed revolt against British Rule on the ground of the Minto-Morley Reform. Babarao Savarkar was also involved in the same rebellion. The concerned reform proposed the creation of separate electorates for Muslims in India with the motive to spread communal hatred and tensions by applying the principle of “Divide and Rule.” Savarkar and his companions were aware of these nefarious motives of the British government and decided to revolt to force them to repel this act, but they eventually failed to do so due to some “Mir Jafar’s” (used for traitor).
Another big reason behind Savarkar’s arrest was the assassination of AMT Jackson by Anant Laxman Kanhere in 1909. The British had proof that Savarkar gave the gun to Anant to shoot Jackson in retaliation for his brother Babarao Savarkar’s imprisonment in Kalapani (Cellular Jail, Andaman) and other Anti-India decisions. Furthermore, the prime accused of Jackson’s murder, Anant, Krishnaji Karve and Vinayak Deshpande, belong to Savarkar’s Abhinav Bharat Society.
In 1910, Savarkar was again arrested in relation to the revolutionary organization Indian House set in London, England. India House was a revolutionary organization under the leadership of Shyamji Krishna Verma. Savarkar had significant links with the organization and had his several major compatriots enrolled, like Lala Hardayal, Madan Lal Dhingra, Madam Bhikaji Cama, VN Chatterjee, VVS Aiyar, and many more. The organization was meant to unite Indian Students of England to revolt against British bigotry in India. British arrested Savarkar on the ground that Savarkar was involved in major revolutionary undertakings of India House.
Another praiseworthy instance of his life makes us travel in memories to the Caxton Hall in London, where a conference of Indians called to condemn the actions of Dhingra where Dhingra’s brother compares him to a stain on the family, but VD Savarkar disagreed with all of them and refrained from passing the resolution. Eventually, Savarkar got attacked by an unknown person but was defended by MPD Acharya sitting next to him. This instance makes him suffer a lot because it affirms suspicion of the British regarding his involvement in the assassination. (Para taken from Article, “Madan Lal Dhingra: Assassinated Curzon Wyllie, avenged the death of 80 million”)
Cellular Jail days and campaign against Religious Conversion by Veer Savarkar:
Under these above-stated trials, Savarkar was convicted and sentenced to 50 years of Imprisonment in Andaman and Nicobar Island’s Cellular Jail, also known as Kalapani (referred to as the brutality upon prisoners). During his imprisonment in Cellular Jail, Savarkar encouraged many revolutionaries by arousing them from the consciousness of fear and inciting them to revolt against the brutality of the British over prisoners. Savarkar faced several atrocities from the British, and they didn’t even treat him as a political prisoner like others, including Gandhi Ji and Nehru Ji.