Mahatma Gandhi asked Veer Savarkar to file mercy petition: Rajnath Singh

Hindutva icon Veer Savarkar filed a mercy petition with the British during his incarceration in Andaman jail on suggestion from Mahatma Gandhi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday.

“A lot of falsehood was spread against Savarkar. It was repeatedly said that he filed multiple mercy petitions before the British government. The truth is he did not file these petitions for his release. Generally a prisoner has right to file a mercy petition. Mahatma Gandhi had asked that you file a mercy petition. It was on Gandhi’s suggestion that he filed a mercy petition. And Mahatma Gandhi had appealed that Savarkar ji should be released. He had said the way we are running movement for freedom peacefully, so would Savarkar,” Singh said.

Singh, while speaking at the launch of a book on Savarkar, added that his contribution to freedom struggle was maligned by those adhering to a certain ideology.

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He further said that Savarkar had in fact inspired people to break the shackles of slavery and agitated against untouchability among various other social issues including women’s rights.