Sri Vijaya Puram, Dec. 12 (PIB): Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah addressed a cultural program organized in Shri Vijayapuram on the completion of 115 years of the poem ‘Sagara Pran Talamalala’ composed by Swatantryaveer Savarkar today. On this occasion, many distinguished persons were present, including the Sarsanghchalak of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Shri Mohan Bhagwat, and the Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Admiral (Retd.) Shri D. K. Joshi.
On this occasion, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, said that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have today become a pilgrimage site for all Indians because it is here that Veer Savarkar spent the most difficult period of his life. He said that this place is also associated with the memory of another great freedom fighter of our independence struggle, Subhas Chandra Bose. He added that when the Azad Hind Fauj attempted to liberate India, the first place they freed was the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where Subhas Chandra Bose also stayed for two days. Shri Shah said that it was Subhas Chandra Bose who suggested naming this group of islands ‘Shaheed’ and ‘Swaraj,’ and it was Shri Narendra Modi, who, after becoming Prime Minister, turned this suggestion into reality.He said that the Andaman and Nicobar Islands are not merely an island group, but a sacred land shaped by the sacrifice, penance, dedication, and unwavering patriotism of countless freedom fighters. He said that today is a momentous occasion, as a life-size statue of Veer Savarkar has been inaugurated on this very sacred land, and that this inauguration has been done by Shri Mohan Bhagwat, the Sarsanghchalak of the organization that truly carries forward Savarkar Ji’s ideology. He said that this land, as well as the memory of Veer Savarkar, is holy, and the unveiling of this statue by Shri Mohan Bhagwat makes the occasion all the more memorable.
Shri Amit Shah said that the statue unveiled today will, for many years, remain a symbol of Veer Savarkar’s sacrifice, resolve, and unwavering devotion to Mother India. He said that for decades to come, this statue will inspire future generations to draw lessons from Savarkar Ji’s life. He added that this place will become a major center for young people to internalize the call made by Veer Savarkar. Shri Shah said that this will become a significant place for imparting to the youth Savarkar Ji’s message of courage, his sense of duty towards the motherland, his qualities of determination, and his vision of national unity, security, and a prosperous nation. He said that Veer Savarkar Ji’s ‘Sagara Pran Talamalala’ is the pinnacle of expressing patriotism. He said that one sentence of Savarkar Ji is very important for his followers: that ‘valor is not the absence of fear, but the conquest over fear.’ Those who do not know fear are brave, but true heroes are those who know fear and have the courage to overcome it — and Veer Savarkar embodied this truth in his life.
Union Home Minister said that today a coffee table book was also released here, and an attempt has been made to encapsulate all the qualities of Savarkar Ji in it. He said that today, many people who have carried forward Savarkar Ji’s ideas have also been honoured here. He said that just as no one can dam the ocean, similarly it is extremely difficult to capture Savarkar ji’s qualities, the height of his life, and his multifaceted personality in a book, film, or poem. He said that several efforts made at different levels have provided a very important means for future generations to understand Savarkar ji. He said that a person’s existence is not formed only by the body, but also by the ideology he follows, the culture that his soul considers supreme, and his actions, and, only India can truly recognise these three qualities of Veer Savarkar ji.
Shri Amit Shah said that today there is no need for anyone to become immortal or a martyr for the country, but there is still a need to live for the country, and only then can we build the India of Savarkar Ji’s vision. He said that if our youth want to create the India envisioned by Savarkar Ji, then they should live their lives in their respective fields of work in accordance with the inspiration of Savarkar Ji, and their goal should be to build a secure and the most prosperous India.He said that when we look at Savarkar ji’s life, it feels that such a person will not appear again on earth for centuries to come. He said that Savarkar ji was a writer, a fighter, a born patriot, a great social reformer, and also a very great author and poet. He said that Savarkar Ji was proficient in both prose and poetry, and such litterateurs are very rare. Shri Shah said that there are more than 600 such words that Veer Savarkar Ji contributed to our languages to enrich our vocabulary.
Union Home Minister said that the life of Veer Savarkar Ji was one of firm devotion to Hindutva, which was modern yet it carried forward and upheld traditions. He said that the contribution Veer Savarkar ji made towards the eradication of untouchability is something for which this country has never honoured Savarkar Ji. He said that Savarkar ji fought against all the social evils prevalent in Hindu society at that time and continued to move forward even while facing opposition from society. He said that Veer Savarkar Ji sacrificed himself for this cause. He said that even if two lifetimes were combined, no greater patriot could match Savarkar Ji, who created literature to glorify the motherland.
Shri Amit Shah said that the concept of cultural nationalism, on the basis of which the government is being run today under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, was founded and explained by Veer Savarkar ji himself. He said that many people have worked to promote such a collective identity that arises from the cultural values, traditions, and history of the Indian subcontinent, and among them, Veer Savarkar was the most ardent devotee of this idea. Shri Shah said that the British had always tried to impose the burden and mentality of permanent slavery on our country through education, which is why they called the 1857 War of Independence a “mutiny” (revolt). Veer Savarkar was the only person who, instead of calling the 1857 War of Independence a “mutiny,” named it the War of Independence and thereby advanced the true spirit of the country.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that today we are free, and after a long journey, the country has reached this point. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the government has been working for the past approximately 12 years. He said that when the country completed 75 years of independence, Prime Minister Modi gave five pledges (Panch Pran), and one of them is to eliminate all memories of the period of slavery so that the country can move forward. He said that by 15 August 2047, we should all together build a great India that stands first in the world in every field, and Prime Minister Modi’s this call has today become the resolve of 140 crore people. Shri Shah said that when 140 crore people move forward in the same direction, we advance by 140 crore steps. He said that this very strength will create a great India, and India will be secure, prosperous, cultured and educated. He said that the title of “Veer” was not given to Veer Savarkar ji by any government, but by every single citizen of the country.