The Week | Veer Savarkar gave equal importance to poetry, revolution: Modi

May 28,2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid rich tributes to Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (popularly known as Veer Savarkar) on his 136th birth anniversary.

Taking to his Twitter account on Tuesday morning, Modi declared, “We bow to Veer Savarkar on his Jayanti. Veer Savarkar epitomises courage, patriotism and unflinching commitment to a strong India. He inspired many people to devote themselves towards nation building.”

Modi also posted an elaborate video of him describing the personality of Savarkar, complete with visuals of him bowing before the late leader in various settings. Modi's video tribute is significant as the prime minister has rarely made such videos.

In the video, Modi notes, “Savarkar's personality is full of great qualities. Savarkar means light, sacrifice, thoughtfulness, sword... Normally, Savarkar is known for his bravery, his patriotism and revolution. But, he was also a poet and social worker who gave importance to unity and egalitarian thought. Savarkar gave equal importance to poetry and revolution.”

In addition to Modi, a host of BJP leaders, including Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitley, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant and Hardeep Singh Puri, paid tributes to Savarkar.

BJP Rajya Sabha MP Rajeev Chandrasekhar noted Savarkar had called the 1857 sepoy revolt the 'First War of Indian Independence'.

Savarkar, a prominent leader of the Hindu Mahasabha during the freedom struggle, remains a divisive figure in Indian politics, particularly over his Hindutva ideology and allegations he had links to Nathuram Godse, the assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. Savarkar had been arrested following Gandhi's assassination, but was acquitted by the court.

On Monday, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel declared Savarkar had proposed the 'two nation' theory, which was implemented by Mohammed Ali Jinnah, resulting in Partition. Baghel, who was speaking at an event on the occasion of the death anniversary of Jawaharlal Nehru in Raipur, claimed Savarkar's role in espousing the two nation theory was a “historical fact and no can can deny it”.