Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday paid tribute to Veer Savarkar on his death anniversary and remembered his invaluable contribution to India’s independence movement. PM Modi stated that the nation will never forget his sacrifice, courage, and relentless struggle.
Veer Savarkar, whose full name was Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was born on May 28, 1883, in Bhagur, Maharashtra. He was not just a freedom fighter but also a writer, lawyer, and politician. He actively participated in India’s independence movement and was one of the prominent leaders of the Hindu Mahasabha.
Savarkar’s involvement in the freedom struggle began during his student days. Later, while studying law in Britain, he became associated with revolutionary organizations like India House and the Free India Society. He authored several books advocating for India’s complete independence, with his most renowned work being Hindutva: Who is a Hindu?
In 1911, due to his opposition to the British government’s Morley-Minto Reforms (Indian Councils Act 1909), he was sentenced to 50 years in the notorious Cellular Jail (Kala Pani) in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Despite restrictions on his political activities, his ideology and writings continued to influence India’s nationalist movement.
