·
December 1945:
elections were to be held. The victorious party would be handed over the reins
of a free India. It was showdown time.
·
Savarkar’s health had
completely incapacitated him by this time. He could barely get out of bed. His
teeth were pulled out and dentures were yet to be fitted. He was simply unable
to play a part in the campaigning. Without his brilliance and their limited
financial means the Hindu Mahasabha backbone sagged.
·
On the other hand, with
unlimited finances being poured into their coffers by the industrialists, the
Congress bombarded the Hindus with false slogans of keeping India united. They
did an about turn and now hailed the INA soldiers as patriots and came to their
defense with much fanfare. They also squashed the Hindu Mahasabha opposition by
bribing, threatening, or tricking their candidates from withdrawing from the
elections. Even the Hindu Mahasabha President, Dr. Shyamaprasad Mookerjee, was
maneuvered into withdrawing his candidacy.
·
The combined effect
of this was that Hindu Mahasabha was routed in the elections. The victorious
Congress—with their Muslim appeasement policy and penchant for Pakistan—was in
charge of India’s fate.
·
Savarkar’s health was
so shattered by this news he had to be removed to Walchandnagar in complete
seclusion.
- Anurupa
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