Articles
Savarkar’s Tribute to Dr Ambedkar
Dt: 19/1/23
Savarkar’s Tribute to Dr Ambedkar
Dr T H Chowdary*
Swatantra Veer Savarkar is denounced by Communists, secularists and Muslims as a Hindu fundamentalist who has identified India with Hindutva. Few people seem to know that Dr Ambedkar and Savarkar were mutually respectful ; Dr Ambedkar used very harsh words about Gandhiji and Nehru but was always appreciative of Sri Savarkar as one person who genuinely and wholeheartedly and furiously worked for reforms in Hindu society especially elimination of untouchability and elevation of the Dalits to social equality with the rest of the Hindus. On the occasion of the Silver Jubilee ( 1941) celebrations of Dr Ambedkar Veer Savarkar paid the following tribute to Dr Ambedkar. Sri Dhananjay Keer reproduced this ( P- 346 ) in his book, Dr Ambedkar: Life and Mission.
2. The most important tribute full of appreciation and estimation came from Savarkar. A political and social revolutionary was estimating the work of another revolutionary ! Offering his hearty felicitations to Ambedkar on his Golden Jubilee Savarkar observed: “ Ambedkar’s personality, erudition and capacity to lead and organise would have by themselves marked him out as an outstanding asset to our nation. But in addition to that inestimable services he had rendered to our Mother land in trying to stamp out untouchability and the results he has achieved instilling a manly spirit of self-confidence in millions of the Depressed Classes constitute an abiding , patriotic as well as humanitarian achievement. The very fact of the birth of such a towering personality among the so called untouchable castes could not but liberate their souls from self-depression and animate them to challenge the supererogatory claim of the so called “touchable”.
3. When Sri Savarkar was implicated in the crime of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination, Dr Ambedkar was Minister for Law in Nehru’s Cabinet. He was convinced that Nehru was trying to fix up Savarkar in the conspiracy to assassinate Mahatma Gandhi. Sri Bhopatkar was defending Savarkar in the case that was foisted against him. One day while in the guest house of the Hindu Maha Sabha in Delhi Bhopatkar received a telephone call . Caller did not announce his name. He asked Bhopatkar to come to a particular place and at such and such a time and meet him.
4. Bhopatkar out of curiosity went to that place specified as a Rendezvous. He was surprised to see Dr Ambedkar in a non-governmental car. That Ambedkar told Mr. Bhopatkar that he had gone through case. It was all cooked up one and it could be easily defended by Sri Bhopatkar for which purpose he gave the arguments to be presented. Such is the regard and esteem that Dr Ambedkar had for Swatantra Veer Savarkar . Both were neglected and relegated by the Nehruvian scribes. But truth has got the property of never dying . Now the nation is paying its due tributes to both the Swatantra Veer Savarkar and Dr Ambedkar.
5. The Nehruvian clan never had any respect to Dr Ambedkar and Savarker. Nehru and Indira received the award Bharat Ratna during their Prime MInistership in 1955 and 1971 respectively. Dr Ambedkar was awarded Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1990 when the Nehru clan was in power. Savarkar is not yet given . (531 words)
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