Restoration of Savarkar plaque at Andaman

It is with deep anguish & earnestness that I submit to you to direct the Union Petroleum Minister Mr. Mani Shankar Iyer to restore in Andaman, with full honours, the plaque with quotes of Swatantryaveer Savarkar, which as per the press reports has been removed at Mr. Iyers instance. The insistence of the Minister to remove the plaque is an insult not only to Swatantryaveer Savarkar, it is an insult to all Indian revolutionaries who fought for freedom of their motherland at the cost of their lives & families. Further, it gives me immense pain to read politically motivated frivolous arguments to belittle the unparalleled sacrifices of one of the greatest freedomfighters of India in modern history, Swatantryaveer Savarkar.

It needs to be noted that India won its freedom not only due to the peaceful means of Gandhiji but also because of the revolutionary movements, beginning from the first war of independence of 1857, that took roots in Maharashtra, Bengal, Punjab & other parts of the country and later the military battle waged by Netaji Subhashchandra Bose. Swatantryaveer Savarkar was a true torch-bearer of the father of Indian unrest, Lokmanya Tilak. No wonder then that, it was Swatantryaveer Savarkar whose guidance was sought by Netaji. Swatantryaveer Savarkar lived true to the vow that he had taken at the tender age of 15, to lead his life dedicated to the cause of the motherland. It was for his very acts of daring like attempt to escape from a port-hole of a ship at Marseille, his ingenious ways of sending firearms to India, his survival through the most arduous jail term given to any Indian political leader in the worst jail conditions of Andaman, he was bestowed the title of Swatantryaveer (brave freedom fighter). He was not only a leader who led from the front; he was a historian, a philosopher, a language reformer, great orator, prolific writer, a poet, a dramatist, a staunch supporter of freedom & Swadeshi. Post Andaman, during the period of his house arrest in Ratnagiri district, he propelled social reforms by creating Patit Pavan Mandir, a temple, open for all communities, with the priest from a downtrodden community. The first Indian national flag unfurled by Madame Cama at the Socialist Congress was the design of Swatantryaveer Savarkar. For more details of his contribution & many firsts to his credit, kindly refer to the following website link.

http://www.keralaonline.com/dailydose/spotlight/display.asp?cap=sarvarkar.htm

Thanking you