Pune: The Savarkar Awards, given by ‘Muktachand’, were awarded to Gulam Dastagir Birajdar, Vasant Limaye, Sunil Deodhar and Nilesh Jadhav by State Finance Minister Sudhir Mungantiwar and BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra. The awards were followed by a small lecture on Savarkar by Patra.
Speaking after being awarded, Jadhav, an artist with a Marathi newspaper, said, “I’m an artist, I don’t talk much. My art does the talking. Earlier, there was no scope for art, but now, people are changing their views. I’m lucky to live life as an artist.”
Sunil Deodhar, an Urdu linguist and scholar, said, “Today, secularism is preached but secularism has always been there in India. No one needs to teach secularism to India. Secularism has only become a word and feelings are not considered. Savarkar’s Hinduism included everyone who considered India as their fatherland.”
Vasant Limaye, an author, said that he is from Thane, but now feels like a Puneite. “Savarkar is a symbol. Savarkar is a trustee of modern Hindu culture,” he said, adding, “Max Mueller was a poisonous seed planted by the British. They planted the Aryan invasion theory. This Aryan invasion is a poisonous seed. These poisonous seeds are taking out their heads now.”
Birajdar, a Muslim Sanskrit expert, spoke in Sanskrit. He said, “I chose to speak and write in Sanskrit. I have been close to ministers. Government officials create so much chaos that one gets tired. They make promises but should also follow up on them.”
Delivering his lecture on Savarkar, Sambit Patra, said, “Savarkar was at the forefront of the demand for freedom. Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Savarkar touched crores of lives, which is why centuries later, they are remembered,” adding, “Savarkar was boundless, limitless. He will be remembered. The British who were inhuman, talk about human rights. How dare they?”
Mungantiwar said, “The people who have been felicitated made me feel like I also have been felicitated. India is one of the surviving ancient civilisations. It is our responsibility to take it ahead. Politicians divided the country on caste. These politicians should be thrown out of power.”
