‘Traitor’ Savarkar begged British for mercy: Congress

The Congress party utilised death anniversary of Shaheed Bhagat Singh to project BJP-RSS ideologue V.D. Savarkar, also known as Veer Savarkar, as a “traitor” and hailed Bhagat Singh for making the supreme sacrifice.

The party tweeted, “Bhagat Singh waged war for freedom from British raj, V.D. Savarkar begged for mercy, to be a slave in British Raj.”

“Bhagat Singh dared the British Raj to send the executioners. BJP-RSS ideologue Savarkar begged for his own release,” it tweeted while quoting Bhagat Singh and Savarkar in their petitions in Lahore Jail in 1931 and Celluar Jail, Andamans, in 1913.

It quoted Bhagat Singh as saying, “There exists a state of war between the British nation and the Indian nation and, secondly, that we had actually participated in that war & were therefore war prisioners.”

“We wanted to point out that according to the verdict of your court we had waged war and were therefore war prisioners. And we claim to to treated as such, i.e. we claim to be shot dead instead of to be hanged... You will very kindly order the military department to send its detachment to perform our execution,” it further quoted Bhagat Singh.

While Savarkar was quoted as saying, “Therefore, if the government in their manifold beneficence and mercy release me, I for one cannot but be the staunchest advocate of constitutional progress and loyalty to the English government which is the foremost condition of that progress.”

Savarkar was also quoted as saying “The Mighty alone can afford to be merciful and therefore where else can the prodigal son return but to the parental doors of the government ”

And “The government (British) in any capacity they like,for as my conversion is conscientious so I hope my future conduct would be.”

While dubbing Bhagat Singh as “Martyr” and Savarkar as “Traitor” with their pictures, @INCIindia said, “Shaheed Bhagat Singh at the age of 23 willingly sacrificed his life fighting against the Britishers. On the other hand BJP ideologue VD Savarkar begged for mercy from the British.”