‘The New Icon: Savarkar and the Facts’ book review: A well-cited take on the Hindutva figure
Veteran journalist, author, and politician Arun Shourie in his new book critically examines the life and legacy of Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Titled The New Icon: Savarkar and the Facts, the book casts an unflattering look at the ‘myths and realities’ surrounding Savarkar, dissecting his contributions, contradictions, and the contemporary political appropriations of his legacy.
The book attempts to bring down Savarkar from the pedestal that the freedom fighter is held by his supporters and ideological fraternity. The author’s intent appears at the end of the over 500-page book as he makes a plea: Save Hinduism from Hindutva. “The essence of Hinduism is the inner-directed search. Hindutva, by contrast, contrast, is a project to capture, dominate, retain, twist and turn the State.”
This theme is reflected in the pages of the book as Shourie dissects the speeches, and books of the Hindutva icon—Savarkar—to question his current deification.
In the first chapter titled Much to Learn, Shourie presents Savarkar as a rationalist and social reformer. He emerges as an iconoclast, challenging orthodox Hindu beliefs on cow worship, beef consumption, and ritualistic practices. Unlike Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya, who revered the cow as a sacred symbol (manbindu), Savarkar dismissed such notions, calling it merely a dudh bindu—a source of milk.
Savarkar actively campaigned against caste-based discrimination and untouchability, rejecting traditional divisions that he deemed archaic and harmful to social unity.
The book scrutinises the political appropriation of Savarkar, questioning whether those championing his legacy truly adhere to his beliefs. While contemporary right-wing groups lionise him, they often ignore his strong stance against caste oppression, Shourie argues.
In stark contrast, the following chapter, Not Much to Learn explores the “myths” surrounding Savarkar, particularly the accounts of his escape from the steamer SS Morea near Marseilles, and his role in “inspiring” Subhas Chandra Bose and INA. Shourie critiques the embellishment of Savarkar’s legacy, pointing out discrepancies between historical records and the narratives constructed around him.
Savarkar, according to Shourie, had a role in crafting his own fiery and uncompromising image through his writings. However, his well-documented mercy petitions to the British challenge this larger-than-life persona. Shourie says these petitions were often attributed by his supporters to have been prompted by Gandhi, but goes on to highlight how they weren’t.
The book explores the fraught relationship between Savarkar and Mahatma Gandhi. Shourie contends that Savarkar harboured deep resentment toward Gandhi, whom he saw as an outsider who had usurped his place in the nationalist movement.
The book is well documented with extensive citations. The author may hope that his work may ignite informed discourse around the polarising figure. The book is certainly not going to go down well with the ideological family to which Shourie once owed allegiance.
Shourie’s work—be it journalistic, political, or the written word—encapsulates the country’s journey, and mirrors some of the key intellectual debates of the time.
The latest book will be viewed as Shourie’s take on Savarkar. But it adds to the available literature on the Hindutva icon and prompts more interest in learning about one of the key historical figures of the last 100 years.
The New Icon: Savarkar and the Facts
Author: Arun Shourie
Publisher: Penguin Random House India (Viking)
Pages: 543
Price: ₹999
Books Review