Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

Legend of India:

Part 7:

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

(May 28, 1883 – February 26, 1966) was an Indian revolutionary and politician, who is credited with developing the Hindu nationalist political ideology Hindutva. He is considered to be the central icon of modern Hindu nationalist political parties. Savarakar has been criticized by many scholars as a clemency-begging, cavern, collaborationist, and traitorous person who was given the honorific title of 'Veer' and projected as a revolutionary of extraordinary caliber by his followers.

Savarkar's revolutionary activities began when studying in India and England, where he was associated with the India House and founded student societies including Abhinav Bharat Society and the Free India Society, as well as publications espousing the cause of complete Indian independence by revolutionary means. Savarkar published The Indian War of Independence about the Indian rebellion of 1857 that was banned by British authorities. He was arrested in 1910 for his connections with the revolutionary group India House. Following a failed attempt to escape while being transported from Marseilles, Savarkar was sentenced to 50 years' imprisonment and moved to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

While in jail, Savarkar wrote the work describing Hindutva, openly espousing Hindu nationalism. He was released in 1921 under restrictions after signing a plea for clemency in which he renounced revolutionary activities. Travelling widely, Savarkar became a forceful orator and writer, advocating Hindu political and social unity. Serving as the president of the Hindu Mahasabha, Savarkar endorsed the ideal of India as a Hindu Rashtra and opposed the Quit India struggle in 1942. He became a fierce critic of the Indian National Congress and its acceptance of India's partition, and was one of those accused in the assassination of Indian leader Mahatma Gandhi, though he was acquitted for a lack of evidence. He spent the last years of his life writing and expounding on Hindutva.