Savarkar has been a victim of political machinations, and his political philosophy and relevance is in the ascendant in India, although he remained persona non grata for long, author Vikram Sampath said here on Friday.
He was speaking at the launch of his book Savarkar-A Contented Legacy, which is part of Prabha Khaitan Foundation’s Kitaab Series. At a discussion moderated by journalist Akhila Krishnamurthy, Mr. Sampath said that curiously there was a lack of research on Savarkar and his life had escaped the entire revaluation of history. Explaining one of the facets of Savarkar from his book, Mr. Sampath asked, “Why has a man who fought against untouchability become a political untouchable?”
BJP Tamil Nadu president K. Annamalai, who released the book, said the common man knew very little about Savarkar, and if an opinion was sought about him on the streets, it would be divided. “The book presents a very neutral view of Savarkar, not a fanboy version,” he said.
He said some Indian leaders were forgotten, while some were demonised by historians. “Savarkar was demonised. At one point, historians showed him as an apologist; later, they showed him as involved in Gandhi’s assassination. But Savarkar spoke truth to power. He never wavered in his philosophy,” he said.
