‘Savarkar wrote British mercy petitions 5 times; never saw cow as god’
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Pune: Satyaki Savarkar, the grandnephew of Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, has made a series of significant disclosures before a special MP/MLA court in Pune, stating that Savarkar had submitted mercy petitions to the British authorities five times during his imprisonment. The remarks came during cross-examination in a defamation case filed against Rahul Gandhi, intensifying the ongoing political and historical debate around Savarkar.
During the proceedings, Satyaki acknowledged that Savarkar did not regard the cow as sacred, instead viewing it as a utilitarian animal. The statement emerged under questioning by the defence, adding to the contentious discussion over Savarkar’s ideological positions. He also confirmed that the mercy petitions were filed while Savarkar was lodged in the Cellular Jail, but maintained that such petitions were not unique to him, as several political prisoners of that period had adopted similar measures.
Satyaki further defended Savarkar’s call during the Second World War for Indians to join the British Army, arguing that it stemmed from a long-term strategy to ensure that India would possess a trained military force at the time of independence. He reiterated that Savarkar did not subscribe to the belief that cows were divine, reinforcing his position that they were viewed primarily in terms of utility.
On the question of ideology, Satyaki rejected the claim that Savarkar originated the two-nation theory, attributing its roots instead to Sir Syed Ahmad Khan and asserting that Savarkar had only discussed aspects of the concept. When confronted over the prominence accorded to Savarkar compared to revolutionaries such as Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt, he indicated that such matters were subjective and fell within the domain of broader political discourse.
The case originates from a speech delivered by Rahul Gandhi in London on March 5, 2023, which Satyaki alleged was defamatory towards Savarkar. He has sought legal action and the removal of the speech from online platforms. Gandhi currently faces multiple cases across courts over his remarks on Savarkar, although one case in Nashik was recently withdrawn following the submission of a police report.