A fresh political storm has erupted in India after RSS supremo Mohan Bhagwat advocated for the Bharat Ratna award for Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, the controversial Hindutva icon. Opposition voices have swiftly mobilized, decrying the suggestion as an affront to the sacrifices of India’s independence heroes.
In a pointed critique, CPI(M) parliamentarian John Britas declared that such an honor would mark a ‘black day’ in history. He highlighted Savarkar’s multiple petitions apologizing to the British for his role in revolutionary activities, contrasting it with the unyielding resolve of figures like Bhagat Singh. Britas portrayed Savarkar as the architect of divisive ideologies that fueled hatred and communal strife, unfit for the pinnacle of civilian accolades.
Samajwadi Party’s Rajiv Rai amplified the opposition chorus, warning against glamorizing capitulation. ‘Establishing a tradition of rewarding mercy-seekers would open floodgates to undeserving claims,’ he asserted. Rai posed a rhetorical question to the nation: ‘Shall we teach our youth to kneel before oppressors instead of resisting them?’ He expressed confidence that public conscience would reject this narrative.
Rai didn’t spare allied targets, ridiculing AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi’s Uttar Pradesh ambitions with a witty retort to his aggressive slogan. He suggested Owaisi rephrase it to acknowledge his precarious position under Yogi Adityanath’s governance.
The SP leader further lampooned AIMIM’s state president’s fantasy of a veiled woman leading Uttar Pradesh. ‘Get elected as a legislator first; chief ministership can wait,’ Rai shot back, highlighting the party’s string of electoral failures.
This episode reveals entrenched fault lines in interpreting Savarkar’s complex legacy—from his early revolutionary zeal to later accommodations with colonial powers and authorship of Hindutva ideology. With Bharat Ratna decisions carrying immense symbolic weight, the debate is set to intensify, potentially influencing coalition dynamics and voter sentiments ahead of crucial polls.