In an era where tv anchors manufacture false binaries to spark debate, strategist prashant kishor delivered a moment of pure clarity. When asked whom he supports — mahatma gandhi or Vinayak Savarkar — his response was surgical: “How dare you take the name of gandhiji and Savarkar in the same sentence, this question itself is an insult to Bapu.” The anchor went mute. The message was clear. gandhi is not to be compared. And Savarkar? His record tells its own story.
1. Gandhi United, Savarkar Divided
Gandhi’s politics were rooted in ahimsa, unity, and collective struggle. He spoke for every indian — Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, Christian, Dalit, or Adivasi. Savarkar, by contrast, narrowed nationalism into Hindutva, reducing India’s vastness into an exclusionary identity. Gandhi’s india included all. Savarkar’s india excluded millions.
2. The mahatma Fasted, The Other Begged
When imprisoned, gandhi fasted to assert moral authority and move a nation’s conscience. Savarkar, on the other hand, repeatedly wrote mercy petitions to the British, pleading for release and promising loyalty to the Crown. One man defied the empire with his body. The other wrote letters of surrender. To compare them is an insult to sacrifice itself.
3. One Preached Non-Violence, The Other Justified Violence
gandhi transformed non-violence into the sharpest weapon of mass resistance the world had ever seen. Savarkar, however, openly justified violence in pursuit of Hindutva politics. Where gandhi turned restraint into revolution, Savarkar reduced revolution into revenge. The contrast isn’t just stark — it’s irreconcilable.
4. The Accused vs. The Victim’s Ideal
History records Savarkar as an accused in the conspiracy behind Gandhi’s assassination. He was acquitted for lack of evidence, but his ideological disciples carried out the act. gandhi died with “Hey Ram” on his lips. Savarkar’s name lives in the footnotes of that tragedy. That alone disqualifies any attempt to equate them.
5. Gandhi’s Global Legacy vs. Savarkar’s Domestic Controversy
gandhi is a global icon — his methods inspired Martin Luther king Jr., Nelson Mandela, and countless freedom struggles worldwide. Savarkar’s legacy remains polarizing, celebrated only within partisan circles. gandhi belongs to humanity. Savarkar belongs to controversy.
⚡ Bottom Line:
When an anchor dared to frame gandhi and Savarkar as equals, prashant kishor exposed the absurdity with one cutting line. Gandhi’s life was a sacrifice, courage, and unity. Savarkar’s mercy petitions, division, and suspicion. To compare them isn’t debate — it’s desecration. gandhi stands alone. And always will.
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