MUMBAI: The grandnephew of Vinayak Damodhar Savarkar told a special MP/MLA court in Pune that Savarkar had filed five mercy petitions to the British government and had appealed for recruitment in the British administration during World War II.
The statements were made by Satyaki Savarkar during cross-examination by advocate Milind Pawar, representing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation case filed over alleged remarks on Savarkar.
“It is true to say that Savarkar had filed mercy petitions five times while he was in the Cellular Jail. That not only Savarkar but many political prisoners have sent similar petitions to the British Government. It is not true to say that, according to some historians, Savarkar is accused of having proposed the two-nation concept. That Savarkar made factual comments about the two-nation dispute, but the original concept was not his, but was proposed by Sir Syed Ahmed Khan,” he said.
During the testimony, Satyaki Savarkar also said Savarkar never referred to a cow as a God but as a useful animal. He also said Savarkar had appealed for recruitment into the British Army during World War II, explaining the context.
"It is not true to say that, Savarkar is accused of appealing for recruitment into the British army during World War II. That this is not an accusation, but an objection, such objections are raised without understanding Savarkar's role, The purpose was to provide young people with military training, firearms training, and experience in holding various positions in the army by joining the then Indian Army, so that after India became independent, it would have its own armed forces at its disposal to maintain its independence, it is a result of Savarkar's shortsightedness that India was able to win when Pakistan attacked India immediately after independence because of trained Indian soldiers," he said.
Satyaki Savarkar also stated that Savarkar had been acquitted in the Mahatma Gandhi murder case.