The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : The Savarkar issue

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Wednesday, Sep 22, 2004

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

The Savarkar issue

Sir, — The Hindu exclusive on Savarkar (Sept. 20 & 21) seeks to establish the close relationship between V.D. Savarkar and Nathuram Godse, the Mahatma's assassin. This is seemingly necessitated to counter the depositions made by the two men during the Gandhi murder trial.

But in the absence of the date or period around which Godse and Apte were introduced to Savarkar and the details of how the relationship grew since then, it is difficult to judge the equation between the two men and Savarkar.

P.R.V. Raja,
Pandalam, Kerala

* * *

Sir, — The article "Only Dr. Hedgewar is your equal" (Sep. 21) merely throws light on the series of correspondences between Godse and Savarkar, their ideological proximity and the former's adoration for the latter. The article also mentions attempts made by Godse to distance himself from the RSS and Savarkar in his deposition before the court.

The RSS was exonerated for its alleged role in the assassination of the Mahatma. Is it not time the controversy was given a decent burial?

B. Suresh Kumar,
Coimbatore, T.N.

* * *

Sir, — In none of the letters to which references have been made in the two articles is there an indication of a response from Savarkar to anything Godse said or did. There is also nothing to suggest that theirs was anything more than a guru-shishya equation. What is the relevance of the articles and their timing?

S. Athreya,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — There is no material in the five letters, written between 1938 and 1946, in the possession of The Hindu that suggests that Savarkar was aware of the conspiracy to kill Mahatma Gandhi. Let us stop this futile exercise of digging into the past to defame the deceased.

M.P.R. Nair,
Kochi, Kerala

* * *

Sir, — If Savarkar had a role in Gandhi's assassination let it be established. But dragging his name thus will have an adverse impact on the reputation of the man who has been hitherto treated as a national hero. Think of the effect such articles will have on the younger generation, which has seen the freedom struggle only through history textbooks.

Venkat Manthripragada,
Hyderabad

* * *

Sir, — The article, "Please don't get angry with your shishya" (Sept. 20), reveals that Godse wants Savarkar to contribute articles for his Marathi daily. And that Savarkar donated money for running the daily.

If something like this can establish a `close' bond, then many Tamil leaders can be accused of sharing a close bond with the LTTE and, by implication, having played a role in Rajiv Gandhi's assassination.

L.B. Srinivasan,
Chettykulam, T.N.

* * *

Sir, — What do the reports on Savarkar and Godse want to establish? That Savarkar had a role in the conspiracy to assassinate Gandhiji? Otherwise, they are irrelevant to a common man.

M. Nagarajan,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — Whatever the relationship between the two men, one cannot deny Savarkar his rightful place in history as a freedom fighter.

R. Anuradha Rajappa,
Batlagundu, T.N.

* * *

Sir, — Savarkar was no doubt a revolutionary to begin with. But an objective analysis of his life and work cannot end with his imprisonment in 1910. His role from 1937-64 as a communalist and mentor of Godse cannot be ignored. As for whether he was a patriot or not, it can only be answered with the question: Was not Hitler a patriot?

S. Raghuram,
New Delhi

* * *

Sir, — It is unfortunate that The Hindu should drag Savarkar and Godse into an unseemly debate just to paint the RSS black. There are many other issues of national importance.

T. S. Ranganathan,
Srirangam, T.N.

* * *

Sir, — People are no longer interested in such mudslinging which is the preserve of political parties.

Sandeep Reddy,
New Delhi

* * *

Sir, — This has reference to the article, "The Savarkarist syntax" (Sept. 18). The author is right in saying that a great danger lurks in presenting Savarkarism merely as being `different' from Gandhism. Savarkar was a bad influence on Hindus and an improper influence on freedom fighters.

R.R. Sami,
Tiruvannamalai, T.N.

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