With this gesture, you dared the outlook of Congress govts which denigrated Veer Savarkar; Thanks PM Modi!

NewsBharati    30-Dec-2018
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Andaman, December 30: In his visit to the Cellular Jail Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday visited the ‘Savarkar cell’ in which Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar spent years bursting with suffering and tortures of rigorous imprisonment which no other Indian leader faced and experienced for fighting for the motherland. It was great to see the Indian Prime Minister sat down without a mat on the floor of the cell, in front of Veer Savarkar's photograph, with his eyes closed and hands folded for some time.
 

PM Modi expressed his feelings through a tweet where he says: “Among those imprisoned at Cellular Jail was the great Veer Savarkar. I visited the cell where the indomitable Veer Savarkar was lodged. Rigorous imprisonment did not dampen Veer Savarkar’s spirits and he continued to speak and write about a free India from jail too”.

The image expressed the unparalleled gesture of the Prime Minister sitting with folded hand and a feeling of devotion and gratitude about the great revolutionary of his time, Veer Savarkar. This gesture by a Prime Minister of India has demolished the line of thinking of the government of India which was developed by the Leftist historians and nurtured by the predecessor governments led by the Congress and especially the Nehru clan. With this gesture, you challenged the outlook of how Congress govts denigrated Veer Savarkar; Thanks PM Modi!
 

It is not surprising that Savarkar's prison ticket worn around his neck carried the letter 'D' which stood for 'Dangerous'! It was for the Britishers but the Nehru centred Congress Party and the Nehru clan to. 

The Congress governments and the Nehru family always kept a wicked eye on Veer Savarkar. Nehru govt even refused to accept Savarkar as a ‘freedom fighter’. After Pundit Nehru's death, it was PM Lal Bahadur Shastri who started paying him pension, which freedom fighters are supposed to get.

Congress didn't let Savarkar live in peace even after independence. He was deceptively accused of role in Mahatma Gandhi's assassination and arrested under preventive detention even when there wasn't a single evidence to even speculate about his role. Later, Savarkar was acquitted by the court when proved that the allegations of his role in Gandhi assassination were baseless.

The Congress was in a revenge mode against the great evolutionary and Veer Savarkar's house was attacked by a Congress mob after Gandhi's assassination. In that attack, his younger brother Narayan Savarkar (another great freedom fighter) was lynched by the mob.

As this was not enough, Savarkar was later again arrested by Nehru govt under preventive detention, this time because Savarkar was against Liaquat-Nehru Pact. 

Savarkar’s stanch nationalist views, his fiery revolutionary activities, basic indifferences with Gandhi Ji and his strategic Hindu Rashtra philosophy made him face a denigrated treatment by the Congress and the Leftist historians as no other leader of the freedom struggle was as vilified as Savarkar.

Here are some noteworthy facts about Veer Savarkar

In 1910, Veer Savarkar was sentenced to transportation for life, twice to the Cellular Jail in the Andaman Islands. The Cellular Jail, also known as Kala Pani, was constructed between 1896 and 1906. The sentences of transportation were to be served in succession - a total sentence of 50 years, unparalleled in the history of the British Empire.

The badge which he had to wear around his neck stated, date of sentence 24/12/1910 and date of release 23/12/1960. All his property and possessions including his clothes were confiscated and sold at public auctions. Even his spectacles were confiscated.
When Savarkar was in jail, Bombay University withdrew his B.A degree. Freedom of expression was awarded to Savarkar who was allowed to write a letter once a year to his younger brother Narayanrao.
Public outcry in India forced the British to release Savarkar from prison. But if he was to be kept in Andamans, he had to be allowed to settle outside the prison. So, the British administration in Bombay called him back. Many people still think that it was an act of mercy. On the contrary, it made it possible for them to keep him in prison in India. Once again mounting public pressure forced the British to release Savarkar from jail. But they asked him to stay in the then distant place called Ratnagiri - so that people could not see him. Ratnagiri had no railway and no telephones. Savarkar was also forbidden to take part in political activities. 
Restrictions on Savarkar were meant only for 5 years. But British Authorities extended their duration by 2 years in succession - to a total of 13 years internment. Veer Savarkar suffered the most for his fierce fight against the Britishers was kept in Cellular jail awarding the rigorous imprisonment.
Watch rare footage of the speech by Veer Savarkar
 

Earlier on reaching the jail premises, Modi laid a wreath at the Martyr's Column before proceeding towards a cell, where the great revolutionary of his time, Veer Savarkar spent his days in rigorous captivity. After stepping out of the cell, he went to the central tower of the prison and stopped before a marble plaque, where names of jail inmates are inscribed.

Modi also visited the gallows, where there were arrangements to hang three prisoners at one go. After taking a tour of the museum at the prison complex, he signed the visitor's book.

(With inputs from Savarkar.org)

PM Modi Veer Savarkar History Freedom Struggle