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Veer Savarkar's 'mercy petition' during his imprisonment figures in West Bengal PSC question paper

Savarkar is recorded to have written multiple mercy petitions to the British raj

savarkar File image | Painting by Bineesh Sreedharan

The Trinamool Congress' dislike for the saffron fold and its ideologues seems to have resulted in a question in the West Bengal state services examination (WBPSC) on Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar.

One of the questions in the WBPSC test was “Which revolutionary leader made ‘mercy petitions’ from jail?".

The options given were V.D. Savarkar, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Sukhdev Thapar, and Chandra Shekhar Azad.

Savarkar, credited for developing the Hindu nationalist thought and political ideology, is recorded to have written multiple mercy petitions to the British raj during his incarceration in a prison in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

His clemency petitions are a subject of much debate as many argue that it was part of a political strategy as he wanted to be freed from prison to take part in the continued freedom struggle.

However, others argue that pleas like "I am ready to serve the Government in any capacity they like... . Where else can the prodigal son return but to the parental doors of the Government?" does not reflect the willingness side with the freedom movement. 

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