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| Karnavati Session, 1937 |
The
Constitution of India at this time was communal; Hindus could vote for Hindus
only, Muslims for Muslims and so on. To save the integrity of India, an
effective national party—one that Hindus could vote for instead of the
Congress—was imperative. Hindu consolidation and a Hindu political party was
the paramount need of the hour.
·
December
10, 1937: Savarkar was elected as President of Akhil
Bharat Hindu Mahasabha at its 19th Session at Karnavati (Ahmedabad) and
continued to be re-elected President for seven years. In spite of very poor health, he
delivered memorable Presidential addresses.
·
In Indian politics, the Congress was
alienating the Princely States, taking Muslim appeasement to the extreme, and
holding back swaraj until
Hindu-Muslim unity was achieved. Savarkar swooped upon the Indian political
scene and started an immediate whirlwind campaign to countercheck the decay
that this Congress ideology had created. His main points were:
(1) Hinduising all politics and militarizing
Hindudom (this far-sighted decision also helped Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in
forming his army.)
(2) forming an Indian Sovereign State on the
foundation of Hindutva (Hindudom) where a Hindu is one who accepts Hindustan as
his fatherland and holy land. The Constitution of free India would give equal
rights to all, irrespective of caste (high or low) and religion.
·
By
1942,
despite his failing health Savarkar had made the Hindu Mahasabha a force to be
reckoned with. As one of the leaders whose opinions counted and whose cooperation
was essential for the success of Sir Stafford Cripps Mission, he was featured
in international newspapers. Savarkar rejected the proposal as it included a
clause aimed at vivisection of India.
·
During this time Savarkar continued his
social reform efforts and incorporated them in his busy schedule. He also
revised the Devanagri script, coined new words in Marathi and Hindi language,
and made sure that Hindi was recognized as the national language of India.
(Photo: Savarkar and Sir Stafford Cripps
Newspaper cuttings are from Australian newspaper archives.)
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