New Delhi: Praising his service to the motherland, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid tribute to freedom fighter Veer Savarkar on his birth anniversary.
"Tribute to the great freedom fighter Veer Savarkar ji on his birth anniversary, who dedicated his life in the service of the motherland," the prime minister said in a post on X.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah also commended Veer Savarkar, acknowledging his unwavering dedication towards the nation.
"Veer Savarkar Ji, with his powerful thoughts, ignited the flame of patriotism in crores of youth and strengthened the feeling of one nation, one culture. He assimilated the mantra of nationalism and strongly opposed the policies of appeasement. Even the innumerable tortures of the British could not shake his resolve towards his motherland. Veer Savarkar ji, who devoted every moment of his life to the nation, started a public awareness campaign against evils like untouchability. Tribute to a true patriot and a great visionary Swatantrya Veer Savarkar ji on his birth anniversary," Mr Shah wrote in a post on X.
Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, popularly known as Veer Savarkar, was born on May 28, 1883, in Nashik. Savarkar was a freedom fighter, politician, lawyer, and writer and was popularly known for coining the term 'Hindutva'.
Savarkar was also a leading figure in the 'Hindu Mahasabha.' Savarkar started participating in the freedom movement while still a high school student and continued doing so while attending Fergusson College in Pune.
He was greatly influenced by the radical Nationalist leader, Lokmanya Tilak. He got active with groups like India House and the Free India Society while studying law in the United Kingdom.
He also published books that promoted revolutionary methods for achieving total Indian independence.
The British colonial authorities outlawed one of his works, 'The Indian War of Independence', which was about the 1857 'Sepoy Mutiny' or the First War of Independence.
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