Vinayak Damodar Savarkar

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**Vinayak Damodar Savarkar** (28 May 1883 – *redacted*), also referred to as '**Veer Savarkar'** is an Indian politician, lawyer and writer known for his activism for Indian independence. Savarkar is the Dewan, or head of government, of the Princely State of Gwalior in 1932.

### Early Life

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar was born in the Marathi Chitpavan Brahmin Hindu family of Damodar and Radhabai Savarkar in the village of Bhagur, near the city of Nashik, Maharashtra. He had three other siblings namely Ganesh, Narayan, and a sister named Maina. He earned the nickname "Veer" (Sanskrit: Braveheart)when at the age of 12, he led fellow students against a rampaging horde of Muslims that attacked his village. Highly outnumbered, he inspired the boys to fight on until the last Muslim was driven off. Later, he is known to have stated: "Do not fear them. The Almighty is your strength, so fight, even when facing an enemy stronger than yourself"

As a young man, Savarkar was inspired by the new generation of radical political leaders namely Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal and Lala Lajpat Rai along with the political struggle against the partition of Bengal and the rising Swadeshi campaign.

### Early Revolutionary Activites

After joining Gray's Inn law college in London Vinayak took accommodation at India House. Organized by expatriate social and political activist Pandit Shyamji, India House was a thriving centre for student political activities.

Back in India, Ganesh Savarkar had organised an armed revolt against the Morley-Minto reforms of 1909. The British police implicated Savarkar in the investigation for allegedly plotting the crime. Hoping to evade arrest, Savarkar moved to Madame Cama's home in Paris. He was nevertheless arrested by police on 13 March 1910.

### Arrest

Savarkar's arrest at Marseilles caused the French government to protest to the British, arguing that the British could not recover Savarkar unless they took appropriate legal proceedings for his rendition. The dispute came before the Permanent Court of International Arbitration in 1910, and it gave its decision in 1911. The case excited much controversy as was reported by the *New York Times*, and it considered it involved an interesting international question of the right of asylum.

The Court held, that since there was a pattern of collaboration between the two countries regarding the possibility of Savarkar's escape in Marseilles and there was neither force nor fraud in inducing the French authorities to return Savarkar to them, the British authorities did not have to hand him back to the French in order for the latter to hold rendition proceedings.

Arriving in Bombay, Savarkar was taken to the Yervada Central Jail in Pune. The trial before the special tribunal was started on 10 September 1910. One of the charges on Savarkar was he abetted murder. Following a trial, Savarkar, aged 28, was convicted and sentenced to 50-years imprisonment and transported on 4 July 1911 to the infamous Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. He was not considered by the British government as a political prisoner.

### Mercy Petitions

Savarkar applied to the Bombay Government for certain concessions in connection with his sentences. However, by Government letter No. 2022, dated 4 April 1911, his Application was rejected and he was informed that the question of remitting the second sentence of transportation for life would be considered in due course on the expiry of the first sentence of transportation for life.

Merely a month after arriving in the Cellular Jail, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Savarkar submitted his first mercy petition on 30 August 1911. This petition was rejected on 3 September 1911

Savarkar submitted his next mercy petition on November 14, 1913, and presented it personally to the Home Member of the Governor General’s council, Sir Reginald Craddock. In his letter, asking for forgiveness, he described himself as a "*prodigal son*" longing to return to the "*parental doors of the government*". He wrote that his release from the jail will recast the faith of many Indians in the British rule. Also, he said "*Moreover, my conversion to the constitutional line would bring back all those misled young men in India and abroad who were once looking up to me as their guide. I am ready to serve the government in any capacity they like, for as my conversion is conscientious so I hope my future conduct would be. By keeping me in jail, nothing can be got in comparison to what would be otherwise.*"

In 1917, Savarkar submitted another mercy petition, this time for a general amnesty of all political prisoners. Savarkar was informed on February 1, 1918 that the mercy petition was placed before the British Indian Government

In December 1919, there was a Royal proclamation by King-Emperor George V. The summary of this proclamation is as follows

* Paragraph 1: Reference to Acts of 1773, 1784, 1833, 1858, 1861 and 1909—The Act of 1919 entrusts the elected representatives of the people with a definite share in Government and points the way to full responsible Government hereafter.
* Paragraph 2: Mention of what Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and he himself declared between 1858 and 1910.
* Paragraph 3: Britain's desire to make it possible for India to take control of her domestic affairs on her own shoulders.
* Paragraph 4: Recognition of the political awakening and political aspirations of the people of the country.
* Paragraph 5: Hope that the new legislatures shall succeed.
* Paragraph 6: An appeal to forgive and forget for removing all bitterness and creating an atmosphere of goodwill for the success of the reforms. Declaration of Royal clemency to political offenders.
* Paragraph 7: Reference to Chamber of Princes.
* Paragraph 8: Intention of sending Prince of Wales to visit India to further cordiality of relations between the King and his subjects.

In the view of Royal proclamation, Savarkar submitted his fourth mercy petition to the British Government on 30 March 1920. This petition was accepted and Savarkar would be released on New Year's Day in 1921.