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NEW DELHI: When PM Narendra Modi visits Marseille, the second largest city in France and home to a famous port, he will be connecting not just with the valour of Indian soldiers who fought on the side of the British in World War I but also an important episode in the life of nationalist and Hindutva icon Veer Savarkar.
Modi will hold diplomatic engagements in Marseille, including inaugurating India’s newest consulate general. He will also join French President Emmanuel Macron at the Mazargues War Cemetery to honour Indian soldiers who fought in World War I.
Marseille, home of Napoleon Bonaparte and legendary footballer Zinedine Zidane, which lends its name to the inspiring battle hymn ‘La Marseille’, holds historical significance for Hindu nationalists as the site of Savarkar’s escape attempt on July 8, 1910. En route to India aboard the British ship Morea, he slipped through a porthole, swam ashore and briefly evaded capture before French authorities returned him to the British. His extradition sparked a diplomatic dispute, with France arguing the process violated international law. The controversy led to international legal debates over asylum and extradition, drawing attention to colonial legal frameworks and their influence on political prisoners.
Savarkar was sentenced to life imprisonment in Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, enduring harsh punishment but continuing to inspire the independence movement through his writings. PM’s visit underscores the link to history.
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