BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Thursday, 28 May 2026 paid tribute to Vinayak Damodar Savarkar on the independence activist's birth anniversary, calling him an unparalleled symbol of patriotism, courage, and sacrifice for the motherland.

Context

Thakur's post, written in Hindi, reads: 'Tej, tap, tyaag maane Savarkar' ('Speed, penance, sacrifice — that is what Savarkar means'). He described Savarkar as a 'brave son of Mother India' and an 'exclusive symbol of national devotion, courage, patience, sacrifice and patriotism,' offering a 'humble salutation' on the occasion of the birth anniversary.

The former Union Minister added that Savarkar's 'life of renunciation and sacrifice for the motherland is a source of inspiration for crores of Indians.'

Policy Backdrop

The tribute fits a sustained pattern within the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of formally elevating Savarkar — who formulated the Hindutva ideology and advocated armed resistance against British colonial rule — in public memory. In 2016, the BJP-led central government unveiled a portrait of Savarkar inside the Parliament complex, marking a significant moment of official recognition after decades of political controversy over his legacy.

Since 2014, the party has systematically integrated armed revolutionaries and Hindutva-linked historical figures into national discourse through official ceremonies, curriculum references, and infrastructure naming — a practice that contrasts with the earlier Congress-era emphasis on non-violent leaders of the freedom movement.

Stakeholders and Impact

Annual commemorations on 28 May — Savarkar's birth anniversary — draw participation across BJP social-media handles, state governments, and affiliated organisations, making it one of the more prominent dates in the party's commemorative calendar. For millions of nationalist citizens, Savarkar's role as a revolutionary intellectual and his years of imprisonment in the Cellular Jail, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, remain a touchstone of patriotic memory.

Savarkar's legacy remains contested in Indian public life: admirers credit him with inspiring armed resistance to colonial rule and articulating a distinct vision of Indian nationhood, while critics raise questions about certain positions he held during the independence era. The BJP's annual tributes consistently foreground the revolutionary and sacrificial dimensions of his life.

What's Next

State-level and central government commemorations typically accompany the 28 May anniversary each year, and the date has in recent years prompted calls within BJP circles for parliamentary resolutions and new memorials in Savarkar's honour. Whether the 2026 cycle produces any new institutional recognition — such as a dedicated national memorial or curriculum inclusion — will be closely watched by both supporters and critics of the BJP's approach to historical memory.