Reading Savarkar

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (1883-1947) has been very often in the news in recent years. Latest being the Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh stating that Savarkar wrote mercy petition at the instance of Mahatma Gandhi. This heated up the debate. In the last few years, many hagiographies on him have been published. He was a complex person. In the beginning of his career, he was an anti-British revolutionary who believed in violence, later he surrendered totally to the British colonial masters. He propounded the two-nation theory and coined the word “Hindutva” or “total Hinduness” to ensure Brahmanical supremacy.

Over all, Savarkar is praised for his role in the first part of his life while his serving the British and opposing the freedom struggle are being put under the carpet. This booklet by Prof. Ram Puniyani helps understand the different phases of Savarkar’s life and the ideology of Hindutva which he promoted.