‘Savarkar spoke Kannada, had close ties with Karnataka’

Book ‘Karineera Veera’ by Rangayana Mysuru former Director Addanda C. Cariappa released

Mysore/Mysuru: Writer Rohith Chakrathirtha has said that “Freedom fighter Veer Savarkar had close ties with Karnataka and was even speaking Kannada, with conducive atmosphere at home too. This should come to the notice of those who dub him as an ‘outsider’.”

Rohith Chakrathirtha of Ayodhya Publications was speaking after the book titled ‘Karineera Veera’ authored by former Director of Rangayana Mysuru Addanda C. Cariappa was released at a hotel in city last evening.

Savarkar had a close rapport with Alur Venkata Rao (face of Karnataka Unification Movement) and had even enacted in a play of the latter. He was also physically well built and during regular exercise, Rao was standing atop his back, said Chakrathirtha.

Saying that it is a matter of pride that ‘Karineera Veera’ is the first play in book form in Kannada, highlighting the personality of Savarkar, Chakrathirtha said regretting that “no such efforts were made in the last 75 years. The first name that comes to mind at the very mention of ‘Karineera Shikshe’ (Kalapani punishment) is that of Savarkar.”

Even though Savarkar was a historian who created history himself and was gasping for breath after losing his all in freedom movement, he was incarcerated after the country got its independence, which is a matter of utter shame, he rued.

“We are also aware that there will be hurried efforts to ban this book (Karineera Veera) too. This work will be translated into English, Hindi and Marathi languages and published in the next six months,” said Chakrathirtha.

Earlier, Director of Aditya Hospital Dr. Chandrashekar released the book Karineera Veera, while industrialist Dr. M. Jagannath Shenoy released the poster of play Karineera Veera.

Author of the book Addanda C. Cariappa, President of Savarkar Pratishtan Dr. S. Yashaswini, MLA T. S. Srivatsa, former MLC Thontadarya, Mayor Shivakumar, former MUDA Chairman Yashaswi Somashekar and others were present.