Vinayak Damodar Savarkar redefined by Arun Shourie

By Sumit Paul, New Age Islam 03 Feb, 2025 At this juncture of 'modern' India when three 'icons' of caste politics are being eulogised by Hindus and Dalits as their poster boys, veteran journalist Arun Shourie's latest book on V D Savarkar may rattle hardcore Hindus who've begun to worship this dubious character. By the way, three poster boys are Shivaji (for Marathas), Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar (for Dalits and Neo-Buddhists of Navyaan sect of Buddhism; still not fully recognised by the mainstream Buddhism) and the grovelling man, Savarkar (for Brahmins). Shourie tore apart the persona of Ambedkar in his book, 'Worshipping False Gods: Ambedkar and the facts which have been erased' that hit the stands in 1997. Though that volatile book on Ambedkar is still not proscribed, this one on Savarkar could be banned by the current political dispensation because Savarkar is now revered by the neo-Hindus or Sanatanis. Those who've read Vikram Sampath's recent cloying and commissioned biography (or hagiography?), ' Savarkar: Echoes from a forgotten past, 1883-1924, ' of this ' Veer, ' must read Shourie's bare-knuckle analysis of Savarkar's ideology and mission. I've not yet read Shourie's book on Savarkar but I'm told, it demystifies the man and his hallowed persona, curated by Sanatanis. I read the one excoriating Ambedkar and calling him a numero uno in opportunism. Shourie categorically stated in that book that we mustn't deify our national heroes and make them cult figures. Ever since BJP came into power in 2014, Shivaji became Shivaji Maharaj, Dr B R Ambedkar became Vishwa Ratna (!) Babasaheb Ambedkar and Savarkar is being addressed as Svatantrata Veer Savarkar. This is grating. The fact is, Savarkar later became an agent of the Brits, working for them and singing paeans to the Raj (British sovereignty in India) shamelessly. When a lie is repeated for years and through all mediums and channels, it becomes a truth, nay, an axiom. For more than a decade, this government has been trying to reconstruct the image of a man who indeed prostituted his soul, spirit and conscience to the English and openly abhorred Muslims. While his atavistic hatred for the Muslims and Islam is being perpetuated with a missionary zeal, his image of a grovelling and servile 'revolutionary' is being redesigned and redefined by the over-patriotic Hindus. Humans are flawed including all the so-called 'prophets' because to be a human is to be flawed. It's an ineluctable state of (human) existence. De-iconisation is, therefore, a must for however 'great' the person may be. We all have feet of clay. Let's see how the diehard Hindus and the blind followers of Savarkar react to this book. But like Dr Ghulam Mohiyuddin sahab, I'm also doubtful whether it'll really make an impact because Savarkar is a demi-god to this government and credulous Hindus. May my apprehension, that the book will be banned, NOT come true! ----- A regular columnist for New Age Islam, Sumit Paul is a researcher in comparative religions, with special reference to Islam. He has contributed articles to the world's premier publications in several languages including Persian. ------------ URL: https://newageislam.com/current-affairs/vinayak-damodar-savarkar-arun-shourie/d/134508 New Age Islam, Islam Online, Islamic Website, African Muslim News, Arab World News, South Asia News, Indian Muslim News, World Muslim News, Women in Islam, Islamic Feminism, Arab Women, Women In Arab, Islamophobia in America, Muslim Women in West, Islam Women and Feminism