Author: Dr. Shreerang Godbole
Publication: Organiser
Date: May 11, 2008
URL: http://www.organiser.org/dynamic/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=236&page=13
Introduction: Savarkar wrote his views on
social reform and rationalism. In this, he put various literary forms to use.
During his internment in Ratnagiri, he penned Jatyuchchedak Nibandh (Essays
on abolition of caste), Vidnyannishtha Nibandh (Pro-science essays) and Ksha
kirane (X rays).
Swatantryaveer Vinayak Damodar Savarkar (May
28, 1883 to February 26, 1966) was a fearless freedom fighter, social reformer,
writer, dramatist, historian, political leader and philosopher. Unfortunately,
Savarkar has been a victim of malice and misinformation. Those who disagree
with Savarkar's political views start with the assumption that he was an obscurantist
and a reactionary bigot. As a considerable part of his literature is in Marathi,
his thoughts and achievements in several spheres are largely unknown outside
Maharashtra. Savarkar is largely known as a revolutionary freedom fighter
and exponent of Hindutva. It is not widely known that he was also an outstanding
social reformer. His contribution in the field of social reform is relevant
even today. Savarkar's 125th birth anniversary which falls on May 28, 2008
provides an excellent opportunity to dispassionately evaluate his contribution
as a social reformer. Savarkar carried out a vigorous campaign for social
reform through his thoughts, words and actions. The present article deals
with Savarkar's thoughts on social reform. The next article shall deal with
his path-breaking field work in this sphere.
On March 13, 1910, Savarkar was arrested in
London. He was subsequently sentenced twice to Transportation for Life, to
the Andaman Islands. The sentences of Transportation were to be served in
succession-a total sentence of 50 years, unparalleled in the history of the
British Empire. Savarkar's spirit remained undaunted in the hellhole of the
Cellular Jail. Public outcry in India forced the British to release Savarkar
from the Cellular Jail on May 2, 1921. From May 1921 to January 6, 1924, Savarkar
was successively kept in Alipore, Ratnagiri and Yerawada Jails. Mounting public
pressure again forced the British to release him from the jail. But so wary
were the British of Savarkar that they asked him to stay within the confines
of Ratnagiri District, a backward place in Coastal Maharashtra. Savarkar was
also asked "to abstain from any participation public or private in politics".
These restrictions on Savarkar were meant only for five years. But British
authorities extended their duration by two years in succession-to a total
of 13 years internment. Savarkar reached Ratnagiri on January 8, 1924. He
was finally released unconditionally from internment in Ratnagiri on June
17, 1937. Savarkar plunged whole-heartedly in the field of social reform during
his internment in Ratnagiri. Though Savarkar was a lifelong champion of social
reform, the period of 1924 to 1937 may be broadly considered as the phase
of social reform in Savarkar's life.
Savarkar's work in the field of social reform
was done in the the most difficult circumstances. As he once remarked, "working
in the social field is like walking on a bed of thorns. It is not for the
faint-hearted!" (Samagra Savarkar vangmaya, ed. SR Date, Maharashtra
Prantik Hindu Sabha, Pune, 1963-1965, Vol 3, p.640; hereafter abbreviated
as SSV, 3:640).
During the early years of British rule, there
used to be two schools of thought in Maharashtra. The school led by Bal Gangadhar
Tilak believed that the political reforms should precede social reforms. The
other school led by Gopal Ganesh Agarkar held just the opposite view. Savarkar
reconciled both viewpoints. Savarkar was a "sapper and miner" of
the Tilak school of political thought. However, in the social sphere, he concurred
with Agarkar. In 1941, Savarkar declared that if freedom was won without having
achieving social reform, it would not last even for three days. (Balarao Savarkar,
Akhand Hindusthan ladhaa parva or The battle for undivided Hindusthan, Veer
Savarkar Prakashan, 1976, p. 202).
There have been many distinguished social
reformers in modern India. Most of them remained aloof from the freedom struggle.
Savarkar was a rare exception. As a rule, contemporary society used to be
hostile to social reformers but the British Government was not against them.
On the other hand, Savarkar had to face hostility of the predominantly conservative
society as well as the Government. In Ratnagiri, his house was searched by
the police several times and his books were banned. People were scared to
associate with him. He had to work with very meagre financial resources. The
year ending balance of 1929 of the Ratnagiri Hindu Sabha, under whose auspices
Savarkar worked, was a princely sum of a rupee and a quarter!
Savarkar wrote his views on social reform
and rationalism in writing. In this, he put various literary forms to use.
During his internment in Ratnagiri, he penned Jatyuchchedak Nibandh (Essays
on abolition of caste), Vidnyannishtha Nibandh (Pro-science essays) and Ksha
kirane (X rays). He also wrote a collection of short stories called Samaj
Chitre (Portraits of society). His drama Ushaap (Antidote to a curse) deals
with untouchability, kidnapping of women, shuddhi and the duplicity of conservatives.
Though Savarkar was a poet of great repute, he did not consider it beneath
his dignity to pen down pretty ordinary poems on specific occasions, such
as temple entry! Savarkar's poems on social reform have been criticised as
being propagandist. However, these poems were written from the depths of his
heart. NS Bapat, one of Savarkar's associates in Ratnagiri was an eyewitness
when Savarkar composed his poem Malaa devaache darshan gheu dyaa, dole bharun
devaas malaa paahu dyaa ("Let me have a glimpse of god, let me see god
to my heart's content") in 1931. He writes that Savarkar must have shed
at least a handful of tears when he composed this poem (Smritipushpay, author
and publisher NS Bapat, 1979, p 63). It is worth mentioning that the same
Savarkar had remained unmoved when he heard the judge sentencing him to two
Transportations for Life! However, Savarkar's literature on social reform
and rationalism is wholly in Marathi. While this is understandable considering
that he was writing for a Marathi readership, it has also placed a linguistic
barrier for the propagation of Savarkar's thoughts. Among other issues, Savarkar
discussed the concept of God, dharma, religious scriptures, rituals, yagna,
caste and caste discrimination, untouchability, social reform, qualities of
a social reformer, ethics, truth and non-violence. Given their radical nature,
it is not surprising that Savarkar's thoughts and teachings shook and shocked
contemporary society.
Savarkar held that no profession was lowly.
He declared, "…Scavenging cannot be considered a lowly profession
as it is in the interests of society and inevitable. A reformer should show
by his actions that a scavenger is worthy of equal treatment as other professionals
provided he is as clean as them (1935, Hindutvache panchapran or The Spirit
of Hindutva, SSV 3: 73). Savarkar unambiguously championed the rights of the
ex-untouchables. He said, "The demand of untouchables to be allowed to
draw water at public places and enter public temples is extremely modest and
justified. All important holy places, temples, holy and historical sites should
be open with the same regulations to all Hindus, irrespective of varna or
caste. (1931, Jatyuchchedak nibandh or essays on abolition of caste, SSV 3:480).
Savarkar defended the right of ex-untouchables to launch civil agitation to
secure their lawful rights if all efforts to change the minds of the caste
Hindus into granting lawful rights fail.
It has been alleged that Savarkar carried
out his campaign for social reform not because he had any sympathy for the
lower castes but because he was politically motivated with a selfish view
of winning their support for Hindu consolidation. The following passage conclusively
nails this allegation, "To regard our 70 million co-religionists as 'untouchables'
and worse than animals is an insult not only to humanity but also to the sanctity
of our soul. It is my firm conviction that this is why untouchability should
be principally eradicated. Untouchability should go also because its eradication
is in the interests of our Hindu society. But even if the Hindu society were
to partially benefit from that custom, I would have opposed it with equal
vehemence. When I refuse to touch some one because he was born in a particular
community but play with cats and dogs, I am committing a most heinous crime
against humanity. Untouchability should be eradicated not only because it
is incumbent on us but because it is impossible to justify this inhuman custom
when we consider any aspect of dharma. Hence this custom should be eradicated
as a command of dharma. From the point of view of justice, dharma and humanism,
fighting untouchability is a duty and we Hindus should completely eradicate
it. In the present circumstances, how we will benefit by fighting it is a
secondary consideration. This question of benefit is an aapaddharma (duty
to be done in certain exceptional circumstances) and eradication of untouchability
is the foremost and absolute dharma". (1927, SSV 3: 483).
Another charge hurled at Savarkar is that
he carried out social reform only because his political activities were forbidden
by the British and he forgot about social reform after his unconditional release
and only did work on Hindu consolidation. In a letter written in 1920 from
the Andamans, Savarkar wrote, "Just as I feel that I should rebel against
foreign rule over Hindusthan, I feel I should rebel against caste discrimination
and untouchability." This letter was written before he had made up his
mind to consolidate the Hindus. Savarkar continued his campaign for social
reform after his unconditional release in 1937. His tours as president of
the Hindu Mahasabha were never complete without a visit to the homes of the
ex-untouchables. He used to deliver lectures in the Ganesh festivities only
on condition that these lectures would be open to ex-untouchables. On February
17, 1939, Savarkar had gone to Khulna to attend the Bengal Provincial Hindu
Conference. In his Presidential speech, Savarkar exhorted those present to
eradicate untouchability. He followed words with deed. He visited the house
of the ex-untouchable leader, Shri Dhali and dined with Doms, Bhangis, Namshudras,
Patnis and other ex-untouchables. The Amrit Bazaar Patrika in an editorial
said that hundreds of untouchable brethren were overwhelmed on thus seeing
Savarkar participate in inter-caste dining and came with folded hands to catch
a glimpse of him. On March 27, 1939, during his tour of Mungher (Bihar), Savarkar
attended the 'Untouchable Conference' and later participated in inter-caste
dining with ex-untouchables. In 1944, when his admirers insisted on celebrating
his birthday, Savarkar asked them to observe his birthday with a 'Eradication
of Untouchability Week'. In 1947, he said, "Time and again, I feel that
if my health recuperates and I gain enough strength to enter public life,
I must devote at least one-two years towards the work of eradicating untouchability
and scripture-based caste discrimination and launch a nation-wide campaign
against this pernicious practice. This is the extent to which I feel this
work is important not just from the point of view of Hindu consolidation but
also of human consolidation as well" (Balarao Savarkar, Akhand Hindusthan
ladhaa parva or The battle for undivided Hindusthan, Veer Savarkar Prakashan,
1976, p 369).
In 1924, he declared movingly, "I am
confident that I shall live to see the eradication of untouchability. It is
my fervent desire that after I die, my dead body should be lifted by Dhends,
Doms along with Brahmins and Banias and they should all cremate my body. Only
then will my soul rest in peace" (Balarao Savarkar; Hindu Samaj Sanrakshak
Savarkar, Veer Savarkar Prakashan; Mumbai; 1972, p.67). Indeed, Savarkar's
zeal for social reform stemmed from his abiding faith in humanism. He considered
his thoughts in the social sphere to be even more important than his spectacular
escape from the ship into the ocean. However, Savarkar was not an armchair
reformer. His activities in the social sphere were no less revolutionary than
his exploits in armed struggle.
(The writer is a Pune-based endocrinologist,
social activist. He has contributed in the making of www.savarkar.org)
