US confidential report mentions that Savarkar felt that Jinnah would make political capital out of the meeting pointing that the Hindu had come to the Muslim for compromise
Akela
The founder of Pakistan Mohammad Ali Jinnah wanted to discuss Pakistan with Veer V.D. Savarkar but the latter refused to meet him because he felt that Jinnah would make a political capital out of the meeting. Savarkar felt that Jinnah would spread out a message that the Hindu had come to the Muslim for compromise if he met him. The US state department’s “strictly confidential” report has revealed this information. A Washington-based Savarkar devotee Shridhar Damle, 70, has acquired the report as a part of his research on Savarkar.
The US state department website mentions that US had diplomatic and consular relations with India since 1776. US had its mission in Delhi and its Consulate General used to operate from Kolkata. American Vice Consul Thurston had met Savarkar at his residence at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on 8 February 1944 to know his political views. American Consul Howard Donovan sent a report to the state department on 9 February 1944 detailing the conservation between Thurston and Savarkar. Damle has acquired the report’s copy from the state department.
“It is learned that although Jinnah and Savarkar both live in Bombay, they have not seen each other for several months. Jinnah has, within the last six months, asked Savarkar to call upon him at his home, but Savarkar has not accepted these invitations for fear Jinnah would make political capital out of them by pointing out that the Hindu had come to the Muslim for a compromise. Savarkar stated that he had asked Jinnah to come to see him but Jinnah had refused. When Jinnah refused to visit Savarkar, the latter sent a message to the Muslim League leader saying that ‘we great leaders should not be childish’,” the report stated.
According to the report, Savarkar said that if British government had released the Congress leaders they might have signed for Pakistan. “Mr. Savarkar made it very clear in the conversation that he did not see eye to eye with leaders of the Congress National Party. Gandhi’s policies were described as ‘dreamy nonsense’. The Gandhian espoused philosophy of non-violence was called ‘stupid’. Rajgopalachari was described as a ‘Congress Pakistani’. Although his Hindu Mahasabha has come out officially for the release of the Congress leaders now imprisoned, it is Savarkar’s opinion that when and if they are released, “they may all sign up for Pakistan”. The Mahasabha must, he said, be vigilant to prevent such action,” the report stated.
“It may be concluded from the stand taken by Mr. Savarkar that the chances of a compromise agreement between the Muslim League and the Hindu elements in India with regard to Pakistan are negligible. The department is referred in this connection to the Consulate’s recent dispatch no. 1202 dated January 25, 1944, covering a conversation with Mr. Jinnah,” the report stated.
The report also mentioned that Savarkar had great interest in American policies towards India. He stated that out of four great powers, Britain, Japan, Russian and US, the independent India would prefer to have the closest possibleties with the US, particularly in the commerce field.
Damle, a retired Public Relations Officer with a multinational bank, started his research in June 2010. He is studying Savarkar from British point of view. He has scanned over 40,000 pages at London’s India House and British National Archives as well as Delhi’s National Archives and Nehru Memorial Museum and Library. He said that the Delhi’s National Archives only have a record that Thurston had met Savarkar on this particular date. However, it does not have anything on what transpired in the meeting. “I am living in Washington. The US state department’s archives section verified my identity and made the document available to me. I hope it will throw some new light on Savarkar’s life,” Damle said.