Savarkar’s role in annals of India’s fight for freedom has been unfairly underestimated because of too much focus on the alter-day movement led by Gandhi and Nehru. While the truth of the matter is that when both of them were having a good time in London, Savarkar’s political adventures (his speeches and writing in particular) had become a perpetual nightmare to the British Press, Police and Parliament. Eventually, this led to his arrest by the British Police. This first trial in London’s Old Bailey Court led to his second trial in Nasik.
While Sailing to india, his escape from his ship’s parthole at Marseilles rocked the entire Europe. He was caught again on the French soil by the French soldiers and handed over to the British police. This was a clear violation of the International Law of Asylum. This led the case to the International Court of Hague which dismissed it calling it ‘a minor error’. This led to a universal denouncement by legal and political luminaries. This finally culminated in the resignation of the French Premier, Mons. Brian.
In 1948, he was vindictively implicated in Gandhi’s assassina-tion. The case went on for nearly one year but he was honourably acquitted by Justice Atma Charan who could not help calling it an episode ‘most unfortunate’.
About the author
Harindra Srivastava
Hindu to the bones.
Appearance on this planet (Aug 20, 1937).
Retd. Senior Reader, Dept. of English, Delhi University 2002.
Indian in every sense of the word.
Never say die.
Double research degrees.
Roamer and Researcher.
Authored more than a dozen books, mainly on Savarkar and Subhas, some cine-celebrities and Urdu Poets.
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