| Today, 26 February 2016 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the atmarpan of Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The day according to the Hindu cale | | Today, 26 February 2016 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the atmarpan of Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. The day according to the Hindu calendar was Phalgun shashthi, shaka 1887, the time was 1110 hours. Savarkar breathed his last with a sense of fulfilment of his life-mission. The Bhagwad Gita mentions that the most realised souls leave their mortal coil in Uttarayana (northward movement of the Sun), in sukla paksha (period of the waxing moon) and in daytime. A life-long practitioner of the karmayoga enunciated by the Bhagwad Gita, Savarkar did not falter in his dying moment. Throughout his life, Savarkar had several brushes with Death. Indeed, it seemed as if Death seemed reluctant to approach Savarkar. This time, it was Savarkar who embraced Death in the highest tradition of Yoga after renouncing food and then water for a full twenty-three days. |
While Savarkar has left behind a huge legacy, it is his vision of India that needs to be remembered now, more than ever before. In his 1937 Presidential speech to the Hindu Mahasabha, he said," Let the Indian State be purely Indian. Let it not recognize any invidious distinctions whatsoever as regards the franchise, public services, offices, taxation on the grounds of religion and race. Let no cognizance be taken whatsoever of man being Hindu or Mohammedan, Christian or Jew. Let all citizens of that Indian State be treated according to their individual worth irrespective of their religious or racial percentage in the general population. If such an Indian State is kept in view, the Hindu Sanghatanists will, in the interest of Hindu Sangathan itself, be the first to offer their whole-hearted loyalty to it. I for one and thousands of the Mahasabhaites like me have set this ideal of an Indian State as our political goal ever since the beginning of our political career and shall continue to work for its consummation to the end of our life" |
Savarkar's vision of India was modern and forward-looking. At a time when scientific temper was given short shrift, it was Savarkar who wrote pro-science essays. At a time when woolly-headed ideas of non-violence ruled the roost, it was Savarkar who fearlessly propounded the eternal truth that 'limited non-violence is virtue, absolute non-violence is sin'. Savarkar was one of the few Indian leaders who had clear ideas about the defence needs of India. At a time when ideas of class conflict were in vogue, it was Savarkar who articulated an economic theory based on national co-ordination of class interests. At a time, when industrialization was considered as a modern-day evil, it was Savarkar who embraced mechanization and industrialization. At a time when foreign policy was sought to be built on platitudes, it was Savarkar who brought a sense of realism by stating that foreign policy is and ought to be guided by national interest. |
Not popularity but public interest alone guided Savarkar's thought and action. A resurgent Hindu society should now embrace Savarkar's message in its entirety. On this fiftieth anniversary of Savarkar's atmarpan, we pledge to promote his legacy. Savarkar.org Team.
www.savarkar.org |
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