Early Impressions of the British of Veer Sawarkar

Letter from Sir Richmond to R Ritchie dated 14th June 1906

L/P&S/7/317/2432 - Letter from Sir Richmond to R Ritchie dated 14th June 1906

V D Savarkar is a brahmin youth aged about 22. He was educated at the Fergusson College, Poona where he graduated. While in the college he attended a mass meeting of students under the presidency of N C Kelkar, (editor of Maratta) who addressed the meeting, advising students to support the "Swadeshi" movement after which the meeting was thrown open for discussion. It was at this meeting that Savarkar first came under notice as a fiery and unbridled speaker. It is reported that at this meeting Savarkar urged his countrymen to dispose everything that is English, and to abstain from purchasing foreign goods. He suggested that all students should burn their clothes made of English & Foreign cloth on Dasara day at Lakdipool.

For this breach of college discipline Savarkar was fined Rs 10. The fine was subscribed by the other students and handed over to Savarkar.

Since leaving college he has gone to Nasik, where he is taking a active part in the "Swadeshi" movement. At a meeting held at Nasik regarding the Bengal Government's student circular, Savarkar informed the audience that he was of the opinion that the movement was distinctly in the interests of civilisation and was not directed against the Government, and that they should not cease to participate in it and that no harm could befall those interesting themselves in the movement. At another meeting held at Nasik, Savarkar is reported to have made a rabid speech. But the details of this speech have not been furnished. The police have been requested by the District Magistrate to keep an eye on him.

Savarkar is apparently looked upon as Sine Qua Non (an essential or condition) by students, and recently he has been invited by them to establish in Poona a society for the political emancipation of India. Savarkar responded to the invitation and convened a meeting for the purpose at which he and others spoke. Savarkar wound up his address by dallying on the subject of youth and vigour, scoffed at the experience of old age, which he compared to faded flowers not fit for garlanding the goddess of nation, and thus led up to Shivaji and Ramdas and latter's advice as given in a stanza of which the first 3 lines may be translated as follows, "Collect many men, make their thoughts one, and fall together.”

The fourth line of the stanza was omitted by Savarkar but its very omission produced the desired effect. It runs in the "Mlenchhas." Savarkar excuses himself and said the assembly would understand what he intended to say but could not say it openly, as he was aware of the presence of detectives, a fact of which he was glad as if they helped in the work about to be taken up so much the better for the country.

Savarkar's quotation was taken up by repeated cries of "Bande Mataram," "Shri Shivaji Maharaj Ki Jai," "Shri Ramdas Ki Jai," etc. Savarkar continued that they had lost everything but that they should not shed tears, it behooved them to shed blood to regain what they had lost. Tears, he said, were woman's lot, work for men. He ended up by saying what they had lost was their religion and this is what they had to establish.

Savarkar is reported to be developing into a popular agitator and is proceeding to England to lay before the people there the grievances of his fellow countrymen. His expenses are to be defrayed out of the Shivaji scholarship started by S K Varma (Actually, Barrister Sardarsingh Rana (born 12 April 1870, in Katharia in Saurashtra) had announced three traveling fellowships of Rs. 2000 each. These fellowships were named after Maharana Pratap, Chhatrapati Shivaji and Akbar. Savarkar received the Shivaji fellowship on the recommendation of Lokmanya Tilak and Kaal editor Shivrampant Paranjpe) now residing in London.

The exact date of his departure is not known (on 09 June 1909, Savarkar embarked on S.S. Persia and reached London on 24 June 1906) but he is being entertained by those who sympathise with his cause as if he were on the point of leaving the country.
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Remarks by W L Warner.
All we can do is to make his acquaintance and take notes, but not shadow him in any way. 3/6/06.

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Mr Ritchie

Mr Savarkar called on me today, by appointment, about obtaining an order for the House of Commons to hear the debate on the Indian Budget on the 20th July - a small man with an intelligent face and a nervous manner. He is staying with S K Varma at the India House and has entered Grays Inn to study for the Bar. Sir W Lee Warner saw him in my room and we agree in thinking that there is no objection to his being given the order he asks for.

W H C Wyllie. 18/7/06.