Nuanced exploration of Savarkar's complex legacy

Indian activist Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, a highly controversial figure often associated with the concept of Hindutva, was the focus of a talk by academic Janaki Bakhle at IBA's City Campus on Wednesday.

In her presentation on the book "Savarkar and the Making of Hindutva," Bakhle argued that Savarkar's ideology, frequently described as 'Hindu fundamentalism,' did not emerge in isolation but was deeply shaped by historical contexts.

She stressed the importance of understanding the political and social landscape of over a century ago, particularly Savarkar's upbringing in Maharashtra, where Muslims were a minority.

Bakhle's talk delved into Savarkar's pronounced anti-Muslim stance, which was shaped more by regional history than by direct interaction with large Muslim populations. She contrasted Savarkar's views with the broader Indian nationalist discourse, which often centered on figures such as Gandhi and Nehru, positioning him at the far-right end of the nationalist spectrum.

Although Savarkar was initially a revolutionary and anti-colonial activist in the early 1900s, much of his writing was encoded for fellow revolutionaries, complicating Bakhle's research.