Veer Savarkar ???

Veer indeed!!!

Excerpts from the second letter, dated Nov 14, 1931, of Hindutva Leader, Veer Savarkar, (prisoner # 32778), to the British government, seeking their forgiveness :  

"... I am hopeful that the British government, will bring back to the right path all the youth, living in India and abroad, who look up to me as their guide, but have gone astray and oppose the Govt. I am ready to serve the Govt as it wishes, with all my abilities and power under my command. Since I've changed from within, I these views of mine will not change in the future. The Govt will derive nop benefit by keeping me in in prison. Only the strong can be merciful. Where else can a son gone astray return but the father-mother like Govt? Hopefully, the Govt will seriously consider my submission.”

It is worth noting that, for the rest of his life, Savarkar never opposed the British Govt and instead took to organising anti-Muslim radical Hindu movement.

It is also significant to know that after a court sentenced Martyr Bhagat Singh to death on Oct 07, 1930, Savarkar wrote another letter, on Mar 20, ‘1931, seeking the Govt’s mercy.

We have these two extreme examples before us, one of Bhagat Singh and the other of Savarkar.

  

On this 70 Independence Day, it is for us to choose which one of the two we wish to follow, one of death with dignity and the other of a life of shame.