भारतीय इतिहास के ६ स्वर्णिम पृष्ठ (वीर सावरकर - विदेशी आक्रान्ताओं पर विजय गाथा)

Freedom and Democracy The following Cablegram was sent by Br. Savarkar, the President of the Hindu Mahasabha, to President Roosevelt of U.S.A. on 23rd April, 1939: “If your note to Hitler is actuated by disinterested human anxiety for safeguarding Freedom and Democracy from Military Aggression, pray ask Britain too to withdraw her armed domination over Hindusthan and let her have free and self-determined Constitution. A Great Nation like Hindusthan can surely claim at least as much international justice as small nations in your opinion do.” Britain’s Policy towards India The statement issued by the Viceroy regarding Britain’s policy towards India with reference to the present war situation is disappointing to a degree. The four or five columns of the verbose statement could have well been compressed into four or five sentences, so far as substance is concerned. The rest is full of platitudes. The Viceroy refers to the old and often discarded declaration that India’s ultimate goal is Dominion Status, made somewhere in 1919 A. D. It has not materialised since during the last twenty years and was almost forgotten till this war broke out. The present repetition of those same vague phrases may share the same fate, if things are allowed to drift in this manner by the Indians, till another war breaks out some twenty years hence. H.E. the Viceroy should realise that India is sick of running after this wordy mirage. She refuses to look upon the Dominion Status as an ultimate goal. But instead, insists upon it as an immediate step to be taken. A constitution based on that Status must be conceded by Britain to India, just at the end of this war, at the latest. A definite and the shortest time limit to the actual introduction of this constitution was the essential thing, which was expected by the Indian political world and it is precisely this very point that has studiously been omitted in the statement issued by His Excellency. Even now, it is not too late to mend. The British Government must bear in mind that India can never extend a willing co-operation unless she feels that the cause of her own freedom is likely to be served in a substantial measure by offering responsive co-operation to Britain. The Advisory Board contemplated in the statement is welcomed. But then, it has not its functions and powers defined. If it is going to be a mere appendage to serve as a camouflage to conceal autocratic high-handedness,