The Final Years of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar: A Persona Non Grata

As World War II drew to a close, the global political landscape underwent a seismic shift. Britain, now politically and economically weakened, accelerated the process of decolonization. In India, the struggle for independence reached its climactic phase, but for Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, it was also a time of disillusionment and marginalization.

A Political Vision Unfulfilled

Savarkar had long envisioned an independent India based on Hindu unity and a structured national identity. However, by the mid-1940s, it became evident that the decisive forces shaping India’s independence were beyond his influence. The nationalist movement, under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, had steered the country towards freedom, but not towards the “Hindu Rashtra” that Savarkar had tirelessly advocated. His vision for a reformed, modernized Hindu society was increasingly dismissed as regressive and reactionary.

His political platform, the Hindu Mahasabha (HMS), struggled to gain widespread acceptance. While it played a role in shaping the discourse of Hindu nationalism, it failed to translate his ideas into mainstream political reality. By 1943, citing health reasons, Savarkar stepped down from the HMS presidency, marking the beginning of his gradual retreat from active political life.

Independence and Partition: A Pyrrhic Victory

With Britain’s announcement that it would leave India by June 1948, the passage of the Government of India Act in 1947 set the course for independence. However, the formation of two nations—India and Pakistan—was a bitter blow to Savarkar. While he welcomed the end of colonial rule, the partition of British India contradicted his lifelong dream of a unified Hindu nation.

The most devastating blow to Savarkar’s political life came in 1948, when Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated. Nathuram Godse, a former member of the HMS, was implicated in the assassination, and Savarkar was accused of involvement. Though he was eventually acquitted due to a lack of concrete evidence, the damage to his reputation was irreversible. This event, combined with his earlier incarceration in the Andaman Islands and subsequent house arrest in Ratnagiri, solidified his status as a persona non grata in post-independence India.

A Life of Restrictions and Social Reform

Following Gandhi’s assassination, anti-Brahmin riots erupted across Maharashtra, further isolating Savarkar. The Nehru government viewed him with deep suspicion, continuing aspects of British-era policies against him. Under the Preventive Detention Act, he was barred from participating in public political activities for several years.

Despite these restrictions, Savarkar redirected his efforts toward social reform. He actively supported the constitutional abolition of untouchability, advocating for its eradication beyond mere legislation. His intellectual pursuits extended to language and calendar reforms, particularly in Marathi and the Devanagari script, reflecting his broader vision of cultural renaissance.

Final Years and Legacy

By the early 1950s, restrictions on his political activities were lifted, though he faced another brief imprisonment in 1950 during the Nehru-Liaquat Pact negotiations. In his last years, he remained vocal about India’s need for military strength, an issue he had championed throughout his life. In 1951, the dissolution of the Abhinava Bharat Society—a revolutionary organization he had founded decades earlier—symbolized the closing chapter of his active political engagement.

Savarkar’s final years were marked by a sense of unfulfilled ambition. His contributions to India’s independence and nationalist ideology were undeniable, yet his vision for a Hindu-centric political order never materialized. His legacy remains a subject of intense debate, reflecting the complexities of his ideas and their place in India’s historical and political landscape.

Sources:

PHADTARE, T. C. 1975. Social and Political Thought of Shri V.D. Savarkar. A Thesis submitted to the Marathwada University for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy. Unpublished: Aurangabad.