Q & A
What was the mode of transport in Britain when Savarkar was there?
What was Savarkar’s financial condition in London?
Why was Savarkar not called to the Bar?
What was the significance of the national flag unfurled by Madam Cama at Savarkar’s instance?
What was the exact nature of the jail sentence served on Savarkar by the British?
Is it true that Savarkar apologized for his deeds to seek release from jail in Andaman Islands?
What was the impact of Savarkar on the revolutionary movement?
What are Savarkar's contributions to the Indian freedom struggle?
What was the interaction between Savarkar and Subhas Chandra Bose?
London has a network of underground (metro) railway. Tottenham Court Road - Euston - Archway section of the underground was not open till 22 June 1907. So, for the first year, Savarkar must have travelled by trams or buses between 65 Cromwell Avenue, Highgate (address of India House where Savarkar used to stay) and Grays Inn (where Savarkar registered to become a barrister). Highgate station of the underground was not opened till 1941.
What was Savarkar’s financial condition in London?
Savarkar came to London with the scholarship offered by Shyamji Krishnavarma. Savarkar was to be given Rs 400 every six months. There would be five instalments - a total of Rs 2,000. The rate of exchange was £1 = Rs 15. Savarkar was to get a total of Rs 2,000 i.e. £133 and 33 pence or £133 6s 7d. He studied Law for three years. Thus, he only got £44 and 44 pence or £44 8s 11d per year. In his newsletter of 19 March 1909 Savarkar said that it cost £1 / wk to stay in India House for board and lodging. (He does not specifically say per week, but at that time such figures given on a weekly basis. For example in 1901 a Police Constable was paid 25 s 8d [or £1.28] per week.) It meant that a student would require £52 per year for lodging and boarding. Savarkar only had £44 and 44 pence. He did not get enough money for his board and lodge!! He therefore had to seek help from his father in law.
- Travel by sea Mumbai – London; cheapest fare would have been £17 10s (one way)
- Clothes
- College fees
- Examination fees
- Books
- Travel
Why was Savarkar not called to the Bar?
Many people feel that Savarkar was not called to the Bar because he refused to take a pledge of allegiance to the British Crown. The chain of events was as follows:
Savarkar registered with the Grays Inn society on 26 June 1906. He passed his examination for the Bar and observed the usual formalities. He should have been called to the Bar on 05 May 1909, but this did not happen because of his political activities. Sir Curzon-Wylie, special adviser to the Secretary of State for India had been keeping an eye on Savarkar ever since Savarkar came to London. On 13 May 1909, benchers of Grays Inn charged him with various offences. Sir Curzon-Wyllie had been trying behind the scene for this. The benchers gave Savarkar until 22 May to frame his reply. They were going to make a decision on 09 June.
Eventually there was a trial by a disciplinary committee. Savarkar was cross-examined by some of the best barristers. Government of India and the India Office supplied the evidence. Letters in the possession of Government of India and translation of Savarkar 's letters used in Nasik Conspiracy trial were also produced. Savarkar was charged with sedition, trying to overthrow the Government of India established by law etc. Charges were being added even when the proceedings were half way through. Evidence, which in any public trial would have been disallowed, was allowed in the inquiry held in camera. Detectives employed to watch Savarkar for two years gave evidence. Savarkar himself was cross-examined for three hours. But despite all this the Benchers could not make any charges stick.
What was the significance of the national flag unfurled by Madam Cama at Savarkar’s instance?
Savarkar was invited to send a delegate to the International Socialist Conference at Stuttgart (Germany) to be held on 18/19/20 August 1907. Madam Rustom Bhikaji Cama was chosen to represent India. There was some discussion on what should be the Indian National Flag? American flag has stars to represent various states that make up the United States. But lotus and not star is the Indian symbol. So it was decided to represent eight major provinces of India by eight lotus flowers.
Savarkar again unfurled this flag on 26 October 1937 at Tilak Smarak Mandir, Pune (Samagra Savarkar Vangamaya, Vol. 4, pp371-373 ).
“In 1910, Savarkar returned from Paris to London knowing fully well that he may be arrested. This he did because he wanted to meet his British friend Margaret Lawrence”. Comment.
Savarkar was in London during 1906-1910. He had some British admirers. Margaret Lawrence may be one of them. Savarkar went to Paris in January 1910 for convalescence. On his return to London on 13 March 1910 he was arrested and later deported to Bombay where he was sentenced to 50 years hard labour. British Authorities spread a malicious rumour that Savarkar wanted to see his girl friend Margaret and was lured by her letter, otherwise why should he return to London knowing very well what the consequences would be?
Manohar Malgaonkar takes the rumour at face value and foolishly repeats it in his book "Men who killed Gandhi", 1979; pp.25/28 .So why did Savarkar return to London despite strong pleas from his friends? The answer is simple enough. Savarkar was preparing for an armed uprising in India. Though the situation became very serious indeed, the volcanic eruption did not take place due to impatience, incompetence and indiscretion of certain key members. Many families were ruined by British reprisals. Savarkar's elder brother Babarao was sentenced to Transportation for Life and was later subjected to electrical shocks, his younger brother was facing a trial, Babarao's wife had to seek refuge in a crematorium, as people were so terrified. Life became intolerable for Savarkar's friends in London. He therefore felt it necessary to show that he was just as well prepared to face the hardships suffered by his friends. Such an action was extremely foolish and unwise but he fell for emotions. He told himself, "I should not worry about who would carry on our work. I am not unique. I am not the only one. Someone else is bound to come forward". To Savarkar’s biographer SL Karandikar, Savarkar’s contemporary Gyan Chand Varma had observed, "If Savarkar had any sweetheart, his country was the only sweetheart he had." (SL Karandikar, Savarkar biography, p 339; also quoted by VS Joshi in his Krantikallol, Manorma Prakashan, 1985, p 347).
What was the nature of the jail sentence served on Babarao (Ganesh Damodar) Savarkar, the elder brother of Veer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar?
In 1909, Savarkar's elder brother Babarao was sentenced to Transportation for Life to the Andaman Islands, for publishing four poems. All his earthly possessions, including saucepans and broom, were confiscated. Three days later, Viceroy Lord Minto sent a telegram to the Secretary of State for India, “ Ganesh Damodar Savarkar convicted under section 121 and 124A of the India Penal Code and sentenced to transportation for life and forfeiture of property.” His wife Yesu was left homeless, penniless and destitute. She sought refuge in local crematorium for some time. She never saw her husband again and died childless in 1918.
What was the exact nature of the jail sentence served on Savarkar by the British?
In 1910, Savarkar was sentenced to TRANSPORTATION FOR LIFE, TWICE to the Andaman Islands, 1000 miles [1600 km] east of Madras (now Chennai), 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, date of release 23/12/1960.
SAVARKAR WAS KEPT INSIDE THE PRISON FOR MORE THAN 10 YEARS IN FLAGRANT VIOLATION OF THE GOVERNMENT'S OWN POLICY.
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 an obscure 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.
"Savarkar was a committed anti-British revolutionary prior to his deportment to Andamans but later he never associated with anything even remotely sounding as anti-British….It seems that conditions of jail life broke his spirits. In a letter dated November 14, 1913, he wrote," If the government in their manifold beneficience and mercy release me, I for one cannot but be the staunchest advocate of constitutional progress and loyalty to the English government which is the foremost condition of that progress…Moreover, my conversion to the constitutional line would bring back all those misled young men in India and abroad who were once looking up to me as their guide." Comment.
It must be realized that rotting in British jails was not the aim of Savarkar's revolutionary struggle. In his My Transportation for Life he writes," Excluding deceitful treason, you may accept other conditions in national interest and free yourself. After becoming free, you may resume nationalistic activity". It is significant that Savarkar disapproved of political prisoners fasting themselves to death. In this context, it is noteworthy that Savarkar had termed the self-sacrifice of Rajputs as being praiseworthy but not worthy of emulation. Savarkar was a true disciple of Chhatrapati Shivaji. Shivaji too had written to Aurangzeb to secure his release. Will these worthies call Chhatrapati Shivaji a collaborator of the Mughals? Savarkar was the first Indian student not called to the Bar because of his anti-British activities. What kind of life did Savarkar face in the jail in the Andamans from 1911 to 1924? The history ticket of Savarkar tells the story. Here are few notings:
- 6 months solitary confinement;
- Seven days standing handcuffs
- Absolutely refusing to work, ten days cross bar fetters imposed. (Source material for a history of the freedom movement in India Vol. II., Bombay Government publication, pp 478/479).
Are these indicators of a secret understanding with the British? Far from his spirit being broken by the inhuman prison conditions, Savarkar displayed rare courage. In the absence of resources, Savarkar wrote more than 5000 lines of sublime poetry on the prison walls and memorized them! This is a unique example in the annals of world literature. Is this the mark of a man whose spirit had been broken? The testimonies of the British officials regarding Savarkar indicate that far from being sympathetic to him, they were wary of him and indeed dreaded him. There is a following noting, "He is always suave and polite but like his brother, he has never shown any disposition to actively assist Government. It is impossible to say what his real political views are at the present time" (ibid, p.464). The following three excerpts from the same source show how desperate the British government was to prevent release of the Savarkar brothers:
- "Bombay Government does not recommend any remission of the sentences passed upon Ganesh Damodar Savarkar and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar" (p.467)
- "Government of India agrees that the Savarkar brothers should not be released under the Royal Amnesty." This is dated 8th December 1919 (p.469).
- "The Government of Bombay by their letter No. 1106/36, Home Department, dated 29th February 1921, informed the Government of India that the Governor in Council was not in favour of the transfer of the Savarkar brothers from Andamans to a jail in the Bombay Presidency, as that would lead to a recrudescence of agitation in their favour."
Is it true that Savarkar apologized for his deeds to seek release from jail in Andaman Islands?
No. He did not apologize for his deeds.
At the time of the First World War Savarkar did write to Montague, then Secretary of State for India. He said that –
- Britain should set up colonial self Government for India
- In return Indian revolutionaries would cease all hostilities and help Britain in war effort.
NO PLEA FOR CLEMENCY HERE.
Due to outcry about prison conditions on the Andaman Islands the British Authorities decided to close the jail on the islands. Concessions were being made to prisoners who wanted to settle on the islands. But these were denied to Savarkar. He did want to settle on the islands. He was forcibly sent back to mainland India and kept in various prisons for further 3 years.
Is it true that Savarkar's health deteriorated in the Andamans and hence the Government was compelled to transfer him to Indian prisons in 1921?
In Andaman no medical aid was ever given to political prisoners. British Authorities were absolutely callous in this respect. Savarkar's elder brother Babarao suffered terribly. The Savarkar brothers were sent back to mainland India not because of failing health but because Government had decided to close down the prison settlement in Andaman, after several years of mounting public pressure in India.
What was the impact of Savarkar on the revolutionary movement?
In 1905, Savarkar started his secret society Abhinav Bharat - on the lines of Young Italy the revolutionary society of Mazzini. At the time of India’s independence, many Congress Party leaders were still members of Savarkar's secret society - the Abhinav Bharat. They included Balasaheb Kher, Chief Minister of Bombay Province, Ravishankar Shukla, Chief Minister of Central Provinces, Sikandar Hiyat Khan, the Muslim Chief Minister of Punjab just to name a few. President of the Congress Party Acharya J B Kripalani himself was a member of Abhinav Bharat.
Due to Savarkar's efforts, there arose a succession of revolutionaries. For example, Khudiram Bose (1908), Madanlal Dhingra (1909), Anant Kanhere, Karve and Deshpande (1910), Bal Mukund, Avadhabihari, Amirchand and Vasant Vishwas (1915), Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev (1931), Udham Singh (1941) and many more. Those who were sentenced to death went to the gallows fearlessly. Even the British officers admired their courageous behaviour and it made tremendous impact on the minds of millions of Indians.
What are Savarkar's contributions to the Indian freedom struggle?
- As early as 1900, when even 'home rule' and 'dominion status' were not heard of, Savarkar fearlessly declared complete independence as the goal of the Indian political movement. It should be remembered that Gandhi had opposed Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's resolution in the 1929 Congress session at Lahore, demanding Absolute Political Independence.
- Savarkar stressed that freedom would be achieved only by war and never through petitions
- He formed revolutionary organizations like Mitra mela, Abhinav Bharat and Free India Society to achieve the goal of complete independence. The oath of Abhinav Bharat is preserved by British secret Police. The words Absolute Political Independence are unmistakable in the oath.
- In 1905, Savarkar organized the first-ever public bonfire of bonfire of foreign clothes in Pune. At that time, Gandhi criticized this bonfire, but did the same in 1921.
- Through his books like Mazzini and Indian War of Independence of 1857, he not only inspired his fellowmen but also outlined the strategy and the tactics of revolutionary movement.
- By declaring the 1857 War as the War of Independence, Savarkar rebelled against the very concept of rebellion itself. Savarkar propounded that a struggle against a foreign rule was a war of independence and not a mutiny.
- Savarkar established contacts with the Russian and Irish revolutionaries and International Socialist organizations.
- Through articles or their translations in American or Irish newspapers and his famous trial at The Hague, Savarkar helped to create an international public opinion favourable to India's freedom.
- Savarkar was the first to envisage the flag of Indian Freedom Struggle and get it unfurled by Madame Cama in the International Socialist Conference at Stuttgart in 1907.
- Even in the midst of revolutionary activities, Savarkar contemplated upon the Constitution of free India and held that free India should be a republic.
- Savarkar’s magnetic personality, heroism, self-sacrifice, oratory and literature inspired generations of freedom loving people.
- Savarkar correctly diagnosed that any alien rule rests on loyalty of native soldiers to it and that alien rule collapses when the native army gets infused with patriotism. While in England, Savarkar secretly sent revolutionary pamphlets to the camps of Sikh soldiers. In order to communicate effectively, he learnt Gurumukhi, studied Sikh history and scriptures and authored a history of Sikhs. His militarization movement during the World War II was a part of his revolutionary programme. Incidentally it was Savarkar who suggested to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose to launch freedom struggle from without. As acknowledged by Netaji Subhash Bose, the Indian National Army got trained personnel due to Savarkar's militarization movement. (*Apart from revisionist historians, it was none other than Lord Clement Atlee himself, the British Prime Minster responsible for conceding independence to India, who gave a shattering blow to the myth sought to be perpetuated by court historians, that Gandhi and his movement had led the country to freedom. Chief justice P.B. Chakrabarty of Calcutta High Court, who had also served as the acting Governor of West Bengal in India, disclosed the following in a letter addressed to the publisher of Dr. R.C. Majumdar's book A History of Bengal. The Chief Justice wrote: You have fulfilled a noble task by persuading Dr. Majumdar to write this history of Bengal and publishing it ... In the preface of the book Dr. Majumdar has written that he could not accept the thesis that Indian independence was brought about solely, or predominantly by the non-violent civil disobedience movement of Gandhi. When I was the acting Governor, Lord Atlee, who had given us independence by withdrawing the British rule from India, spent two days in the Governor's palace at Calcutta during his tour of India. At that time I had a prolonged discussion with him regarding the real factors that had led the British to quit India. My direct question to him was that since Gandhi's "Quit India" movement had tapered off quite some time ago and in 1947 no such new compelling situation had arisen that would necessitate a hasty British departure, why did they have to leave? In his reply Atlee cited several reasons, the principal among them being the erosion of loyalty to the British Crown among the Indian army and navy personnel as a result of the military activities of Netaji. Toward the end of our discussion I asked Atlee what was the extent of Netaji. Toward the end of our discussion I asked Atlee what was the extent of Gandhi's influence upon the British decision to quit India. Hearing this question, Atlee's lips became twisted in a sarcastic smile as he slowly chewed out the word, "m-i-n-i-m-a-l!"[46]
What was the interaction between Savarkar and Subhas Chandra Bose?
On 22 June 1940, Subhash Chandra Bose came to see Savarkar. Savarkar told Bose, “ Why do you waste time in your movement to remove the monument to ‘Black Hole of Calcutta’?