New Savarkar biopic reignites debates. Here's what you should know
What is the Savarkar controversy about?
This is nothing new. The life of the freedom fighter has been controversial for almost as long as he became active in politics in early 1900s. One of the main reasons for the controversy surrounding Savarkar is his association with Hindutva or Hindu-ness. He did not coin the word, but he certainly popularised it as a coherent ideology.
Hindutva focuses on the cultural and historical unity of Hindus, emphasising their common heritage. While some take the view that it is a cultural and nationalist movement, others view it as promoting majoritarianism and exclusionary politics.
Furthermore, Savarkar's writings and speeches have been cited to support claims of promoting communal divisiveness. Savakar urged Hindus to rise up and establish a Hindu Rashtra or Hindu nation-state. Some of his statements on religious minorities, particularly Muslims, have also been criticised as inflammatory and discriminatory.
Savarkar's writings have also hinted at his leanings towards Italian Fascism and German Nazism, particularly their outlook towards their minorities.
SwatantryaVeer Savarkar and the current political climate
Savarkar's ideology and ideas have had a significant influence on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), currently ruling India. His emphasis on cultural and historical unity of Hindus, as articulated in the Hindutva concept, resonates with the BJP's focus on cultural nationalism. The party has often advocated for the preservation and promotion of Hindu heritage, customs, and traditions.
The film in question,Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, is being seen by its detractors as propaganda and a BJP-sponsored or at least BJP-supported project. The teaser promised the potential viewers that they will find out who killed Savarkar's story. Moreover, the teaser makes claims of dubious historicity that it was Savarkar who inspired revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh and Subhas Chandra Bose.
The latter's grandnephew Chandra Kumar Bose has taken exception to the claim, saying, "Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was inspired by only two great personalities. One is Swami Vivekananda, who was his spiritual Guru, and the second person was freedom fighter Deshbandhu Chitranjan Das, who was his political mentor.
"Apart from these two people, I don't think Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose was inspired by any other freedom fighters," India Today quoted him as saying.
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Wednesday, May 31, 2023 at 12:00 am