Savarkar was a multifaceted genius whose light continues to inspire, even as attempts are made to dim it.
On 26 February is the 60th death anniversary of a great nationalist, whom this nation during his lifetime treated shabbily on trumped up falsehood. A scientific humanist and atheist in real life was instead called a communalist and conspirator. Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a name that evokes strong reactions across India’s ideological spectrum, has often been reduced to a caricature by the Left-dominated intellectual ecosystem. This deliberate misrepresentation has stripped him of his multifaceted persona, focusing exclusively on his politics while ignoring his intellectual depth, literary contributions, and humanistic ideals. Such narratives serve a broader agenda of perpetuating Hinduphobia and marginalizing Hindu thinkers. Therefore, a pertinent need arises to explore the lesser-known aspects of Savarkar’s life and work, questioning the fairness of the treatment meted out to him by historians and the political establishment.
THINKER BEYOND THE BOUNDARIES OF RELIGION
Savarkar was a self-proclaimed atheist who viewed Hinduism not as a religion but as a cultural and civilizational identity. For him, being Hindu was an expression of shared heritage, encompassing Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, and Jains, while excluding Muslims and Christians, whom he saw as culturally distinct due to their allegiance to foreign religious frameworks. This perspective, rooted in 19th-century European ideas of nationalism, was not born out of hatred but from a desire for unity within the Indic fold.
His atheism was scientific and anti-clerical, akin to the rationalist movements in Europe. Savarkar challenged traditional notions of sanctity, urging Hindus to abandon superstitions, such as the sacredness of the cow, and to embrace pragmatic practices like non-vegetarianism to strengthen the community. These views reveal a rationalist and reformist thinker, far removed from the rigid communalist label imposed on him.
Yet, the dominant ecosystem has chosen to vilify him, branding him as divisive and communal. This distortion serves a larger agenda of discrediting Hindu intellectuals, while whitewashing historical atrocities committed by invaders. The systematic erasure of Savarkar’s nuanced ideas is part of a broader pattern of Hinduphobia, where any scholar or leader associated with Hinduism is reduced to a one-dimensional stereotype. Was there a fear of such towering leaders that the ones in power felt insecure?
LITERARY GENIUS AND CULTURAL HISTORIAN
Savarkar’s contributions to literature and history are monumental but seldom acknowledged. He was not just a political leader but also a prolific writer, poet, historian, and playwright. His literary oeuvre includes “Joseph Mazzini,” a biography of the Italian revolutionary; “1857 Che Swatantra Samar,” a pioneering account of India’s first war of independence; and “Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?”, a seminal work that laid the ideological foundation for cultural nationalism.
In the darkness of the Cellular Jail in the Andamans, Savarkar’s creativity shone brightly. He composed poems like “Jayostute,” a Marathi anthem that inspires patriotism to this day. His poignant “Saagarapraantalamala” reflects the pain of exile and the loss of his associate and friend, Madan Lal Dhingra. These works, written under the harshest conditions, exemplify the indomitable spirit of a man who refused to let imprisonment extinguish his love for the nation.
Savarkar also excelled as a historian, with books like “Six Glorious Epochs,” which chronicled India’s civilizational resilience against invasions, and “Hindupadpaadshaahi,” a detailed study of the Maratha empire. His writings were not mere records of the past but calls to action, urging Indians to learn from their history and reclaim their cultural identity. By ignoring these contributions, the Left ecosystem deprives Indians of a fuller understanding of their heritage.
DOUBLE STANDARDS OF HISTORICAL NARRATIVES
The vilification of Savarkar is part of a broader pattern of doublespeak in historical narratives. The Leftist intellectual elite has consistently marginalized figures who do not fit their ideological framework. While Savarkar is labelled a communalist, the same ecosystem glorifies figures associated with the Khilafat Movement despite its pan-Islamist agenda that had little to do with India’s freedom struggle.
The contrast is stark: leaders who endured the harshest punishments for their patriotism, such as Savarkar’s two life sentences in the Cellular Jail, are branded as cowards or collaborators. Meanwhile, others who reaped the benefits of power and privilege are celebrated as the sole architects of India’s independence. This selective memory serves to perpetuate a narrative that marginalizes dissenting voices and suppresses inconvenient truths.
The ecosystem’s resistance to acknowledging Savarkar’s contributions is rooted in fear. His ideas of cultural unity and national pride challenge the hegemonic narratives that seek to fragment Indian society along caste, religious, and regional lines. By demonizing Savarkar, the Left protects its own ideological dominance, ensuring that alternative perspectives remain suppressed.
HINDUPHOBIA AND THE FEAR OF INTELLECTUAL PLURALISM
At the heart of the campaign against Savarkar lies a deep-seated Hinduphobia. This prejudice is not just an attack on Savarkar but on the broader tradition of Hindu intellectual and cultural thought. The Left ecosystem has consistently portrayed Hindu leaders and thinkers as regressive and divisive, ignoring their contributions to social reform, cultural unity, and national pride.
This bias is evident in the academic and cultural discourse, where Hindu voices are often caricatured and dismissed. With his emphasis on rationalism, reform, and unity, Savarkar poses a direct challenge to these stereotypes. His vision of a united India, rooted in shared cultural values, threatens the divisive narratives that fuel caste and communal politics. The reluctance to engage with Savarkar’s ideas is not intellectual but ideological, driven by a fear of losing control over the narrative.
The legacy of Veer Savarkar is too vast and complex to be confined to the labels of communalist or nationalist. He was a thinker, writer, and reformer who envisioned
By reducing Savarkar to a caricature, the Left ecosystem does a disservice not only to him but to the nation. It deprives Indians of a deeper understanding of their history and heritage, perpetuating a culture of intellectual dishonesty. Reclaiming Savarkar’s legacy is not just about correcting historical wrongs but about embracing the plurality of ideas that define India.
It is time to move beyond the distortions and recognize Savarkar for what he indeed was: a multifaceted genius whose light continues to inspire, even as attempts are made to dim it. His life and work remind us that the pursuit of truth and justice requires courage, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to one’s ideals. Let us honour that legacy by engaging with it factually and not on agenda setting interpretations and lies.
* Prof Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit is the Vice Chancellor of JNU.