मेरा आजीवन कारावास / माझी जन्मठेप (स्वातंत्र्यवीर सावरकर - काले पानी का ऐतिहासिक संस्मरण)

CHAPTER IX EARLY HISTORY OF THE POLITICAL PRISONERS The Cult of the Bomb The first batch of political prisoners sent to the Andamans consisted of Bengalis Involved in the Manik Tola Bomb Case, and two gentlemen from Maharashtra, namely Mr. Ganesh Savarkar and Mr. Wamanrao Joshi. Soon after them came another batch of six persons from Bengal Implicated in the trial for political dacoity. Of all these, three from Bengal and two from Maharashtra happened to be sentenced to transportation for life Others, who were all of them Bengalis, had been sentenced for three to ten years' Imprisonment. When I reached the Andamans there were the Bengali persons I have mentioned, and four editors of Swarajya from Allahabad with seven to ten years' Imprisonment against them. The latter were sentenced for sedation and treason against the Government and, not like us, for revolutionary crime against the State. Some of these editors were deadly against all revolution and had not even understood its theory or known its practice Their association with us had this advantage, that they had begun to know both the theory and practice of revolutionary movement and had begun to sympathise with it. I must be satisfied with this general statement today for I do not recollect now the trials in which these men were Involved, their names, and their opinions on the Issues in question I remember another being there in addition to those I have already named. As the majority of the first batch were Bengalis, we were all, in prison- parlence, known as Bengalis Later on, the number was swelled by an influx from the Punjab in their hundreds, and several frown other provinces as well So we came to be designated now by the hybrid name-the Bomb- makers. Politicals or Men of the Tongue Those who had never heard the name-political prisoner-could not understand what it really signified. Thousands of such prisoners could, on the other hand, form a distinct notion of bomb-throwing and hence the generic name of bomb-throwers by which all of us were recognised in the jail at Andaman. Whenever Mr. Barrie had to send for any one of us or all of us, he would order the Jamadar in the following words "Go and fetch Bomb- golawalla No 7" or "Go, and gather quickly all the bomb- throwers and shut them up." All understood that order and did accordingly. When I had entered the place, I enlightened my fellow-countrymen on the distinction between the bomb-thrower and the political prisoner. told them we were not charged with the crime of bomb throwing. We were charged and sentenced for agitation to fight the Government, and win and establish Swaraj. Some of us no doubt used pistols and bombs and rifles, but others fought only with their pens. Many had not even seen a bomb; what then of using it ! What we all of