The latest issue of ‘अंतिम जान’, a monthly magazine published by Gandhi Smriti and Darshan Smriti (GSDS), is dedicated to Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. In the preface of this issue, his stature has been compared to Mahatma Gandhi, describing him as historical. Let us tell you that this department works under the Ministry of Culture and is headed by the Prime Minister himself.

In the preface on Savarkar a “great patriot” by GSDS vice-president and BJP leader Vijay Goel, it is sad that those who have not spent a day in jail during the freedom struggle and have not contributed to the society are like Savarkar. Criticize the patriot. Savarkar’s place in history and his respect in the freedom movement is no less than that of Mahatma Gandhi.

Goyal wrote that it is unfortunate that despite his contribution, Savarkar did not get his due place in the history of independence for many years. GSDS officials said the June issue was dedicated to Savarkar on May 28, his birth anniversary. GSDS will continue to dedicate upcoming issues of the magazine to the freedom fighters on completion of 75 years of independence.

Established in 1984, the basic objective of GSDS is to propagate the life, mission and thoughts of Mahatma Gandhi through various socio-educational and cultural programmes. A nominated body of Gandhians and representatives of various government departments guide its activities.

The magazine’s June cover features a sketch of Savarkar made by Sitaram. About a third of the 68-page issue is devoted to essays and articles on the Hindutva thinker by several authors, including former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Marathi theater and film writer Srirang Godbole, political commentator Umesh Chaturvedi, and writer Kanhaiya Tripathi. There was also an essay on Hindutva that Savarkar wrote from his book.

Vajpayee’s essay calls Savarkar “not a personality but an idea”. It mentions that Savarkar had talked about the upliftment of the people of the “Harijan” community before Gandhi. Godbole has written about the trial of the assassination of Savarkar and Gandhi. The author Madhusudan Cherekar has written about the relationship between Gandhi and Savarkar.

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