When Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, popularly known as Veer Savarkar, was imprisoned by the British in the Cellular Jail of Andaman, he might not have imagined that even in independent India, he would face imprisonment. Subjected to inhumane torture and forced labor like an ox at a mill, his body and mind were tested to the extreme. However, his spirit remained unbroken. Time passed, India gained independence, but Savarkar’s struggles did not end. One of the most striking incidents occurred in 1950 when Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru’s government arrested him, allegedly under pressure from Pakistan.
India attained independence in 1947, but the country was divided into India and Pakistan. Before and after the partition, Hindus faced severe persecution in Muslim-majority areas, leading to the deaths of hundreds of thousands and forcing many to flee. The violence continued for years, peaking again between late 1949 and early 1950, when atrocities against Hindus in East Pakistan escalated. Thousands were killed, and millions sought refuge in India. In an attempt to resolve the Pakistan issue, Nehru invited Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, to Delhi for discussions. On April 2, 1950, Liaquat Ali arrived in India, and on April 8, the Nehru-Liaquat Pact was signed.
While an agreement was being made to ensure the security of minorities in Pakistan, Nehru’s government began arresting political opponents within India, particularly leaders associated with the Hindu Mahasabha. These arrests were carried out under the Preventive Detention Act of 1950. On April 4, before dawn, around 100 Bombay CID officers launched “Operation Hindu Mahasabha,” leading to the arrests of several leaders.
Historian Vikram Sampath, in his book Savarkar: A Contested Legacy (1924-1966), writes that an officer knocked on Savarkar’s door early in the morning, showed him the arrest warrant, allowed him time for a bath, and then took him to Arthur Road Jail, later transferring him to Belgaum (Hindalga) Jail. The government feared that Savarkar’s opposition to the pact could lead to protests.
Nehru justified the arrests under Section 3 of the Preventive Detention Act, arguing that speeches by Hindu Mahasabha leaders called for Pakistan’s destruction, which he deemed an insult to a foreign power. Alongside Savarkar, numerous Hindu Mahasabha leaders were detained across India. However, legal proceedings revealed no evidence of any conspiracy against government ministers. Despite being acquitted in the Mahatma Gandhi assassination case, Savarkar was accused of inciting Hindus against Muslims—an unfounded claim, as he had neither given any speech nor issued statements on the subject in Bombay.
From Belgaum Jail, Savarkar wrote to the Bombay government on April 26, 1950, denying all allegations and demanding unconditional release, emphasizing his commitment to constitutional values. If unconditional release was not possible, he offered to refrain from political activities for a government-determined period. On May 28, his birthday, protests demanding his release were held across India. Even RSS chief Madhav Golwalkar condemned his arrest, calling it an insult to national honor.
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Frustrated with the government’s stance, Savarkar’s son, Vishwas Savarkar, filed a habeas corpus petition in the Bombay High Court. On July 12, 1950, during the hearing, the court ruled that he could be released upon pledging to abstain from political activities. The government agreed, imposing a condition that he stay in Bombay and remain inactive politically for one year or until the next general election or World War III. Accepting these terms, Savarkar resigned from the Hindu Mahasabha’s primary membership.
Upon release on July 13, Savarkar reluctantly urged people to abide by the Nehru-Liaquat Pact. The hardships of imprisonment had taken a toll on him. As India prepared to celebrate Independence Day, he asked the government whether hoisting the national flag at his home would be considered a political act. The Home Department permitted it, provided he did not give a speech. He complied, following the orders of the very government that had imprisoned him.
This was the state of Veer Savarkar in independent India, a man who had risked his life for the country’s freedom, now imprisoned and marginalized. The government may have tried to erase his legacy, but the people did not forget him. Despite continuous efforts by certain groups to vilify him, his unwavering patriotism remains etched in history, making him a hero in the eyes of millions.
This article is being republished on the occasion of Veer Savarkar’s birth anniversary.
