Vikram Sampath at Sahitya Aajtak 2022: Ambedkar told Veer Savarkar that only he understood the plight of lower castes

Author and Historian Vikram Sampath spoke about the misconceptions many have regarding Veer Savarkar at Sahitya AajTak 2022 on November 20. In a session titled Katha Nayak, he spoke about how Savarkar’s ideologies were completely different from how they are portrayed now. 
Speaking about the popular concept of how Veer Savarkar is considered as a British loyalist, Sampath spoke about the horrors the revolutionary had to face when he was given the punishment of ‘kalapaani’. “Savarkar was sent miles away across the sea to Andamans that was totally unattached to the mainland. He was not given the basic amenities of livelihood, not even a pen and paper to jot down his thoughts. Amid continued atrocities, Savarkar managed to compose poems that he wrote on the walls of his cell with his own fingernails and charcoal.” 
When asked about the concept of Hindutva and Savarkar’s contribution to the term, Sampath said, “The concept of Hindutva became more prominent during the Khilafat movement. People were being instigated in the name of religion. The whole country fell prey to communal violence during the 1920s and Hindu society was totally scattered and scrambled in the process. On top of that, the situation of jaati, upjaati, untouchability raised their ugly heads in society. Standing in current society, if you say that you believe in Hindutva, many will point fingers and say that you are a ‘Brahminvaadi’, ‘Maanuvaadi’ and what not. Savarkar was the only person who understood that this system of caste was the major vice in India. He wanted to establish a casteless society so that the Hindu society became one whole community again. He wanted to wipe off the varna and jaati concepts. He believed that a person’s identity should be based on what he does and not assigned automatically from his birth.” 
 
Sampath also pointed out how Savarkar was praised by Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar. “In 1931, Savarkar built the Patitpavan mandir in Ratnagiri, where people of any caste or creed were welcome. It was at this time when BR Ambedkar addressed Savarkar and admitted that he was the only person who understood how this concept of ‘varnashram’ was a curse on Indian society.” 
Speaking about the attack on Savarkar’s ideologies, Sampath said, “Savarkar wanted a country that was self-sufficient in every sphere. Indira Gandhi even commented that Savarkar’s death was a huge loss. He was the epitome of ‘deshbhakti’ (patriotism). This attack on Savarkar’s thoughts and ideologies is simply baseless.” 
Vikram Sampath is a historian, author, musician, archivist and curator. He is known for writing the biography of Veer Savarkar and Splendours of Royal Mysore.