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Prime Minister Modi highlighted the role of the city in the struggle for the freedom of India, thanking the French activists who were standing for Savarkar.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the Marseille connection with Veer Savarkar, the fighter for freedom and the struggle for the freedom of India by landing in the French port city. (Image: PTI)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to the Liberty fighter, Veer Savarkar, on Tuesday (local time) after landing in the French city of Marseille and recalled the connection of the city with the fight for the freedom of India.
“He landed in Marseille. In the search for the freedom of India, this city has a special meaning. It was here that the great Veer Savarkar tried a brave escape. I also want to thank the people of Marseille and the French activists of that time who demanded that they did not deliver it to the British custody. The courage of Veer Savarkar continues to inspire generations! “PM Modi said
He landed in Marseille. In the search for the freedom of India, this city has a special meaning. It was here that the great Veer Savarkar tried a brave escape. I also want to thank the people of Marseille and the French activists of the time who demanded that it will not be given … – Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 11, 2025
According to the reports of Hindustan Times and NewsxVeer Savarkar’s connection with Marseille dates back to 1910 when he made a daring escape attempt while the British transported as a political prisoner.
Savarkar, a key figure in the fight for the freedom of India, had been arrested in London for his revolutionary activities against British domain. He was taken to India aboard a British ship, SS Morea, to face the trial.
While the ship docked in the port of Marseille, France, on July 8, 1910, Savarkar saw the opportunity to flee.
He slid through an ox eye and swam to the shore with the hope of looking for asylum in France. However, before being able to escape completely, it was captured by the French authorities and returned to the British, despite international laws that protected political asylum seekers.
This controversial extradition caused a diplomatic dispute between Great Britain and France. Many French activists and leaders protested against the action taken by British forces on French soil and argued that Savarkar should not have been returned.
The case even reached the permanent court of arbitration in The Hague, but ultimately, Savarkar was sent back to British custody and then imprisoned in the infamous cell prison in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
PM Modi is in Marseille to inaugurate a new Indian consulate in the city.
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