Rassegna storica del Risorgimento

260
Gita Srivastava
for attaining independenee for India. Al these meetings the methods advo-cated were education of the public by means of lectures, books and songs and the preparation for rising against the British Government by collectàon of arms and ammunitions. s> An extract from a Special Bench Judgement (1911) of the Nasik Conspiracy Case reports, We have examples of inflam-matory speeches dehvered by Vinayak and Narayan Savarkar and by Mahadev Bhat, and a photograph of a number of members of the Mitra Mela, several of whom are among the accused, grouped round Vinayak Savarkar in which four or five piotures of Shdvaji, a board hearing the words Bande Matram and a book hearing the name of Mazzini on the outer cover are promi-nently displayed . *>
In 1905, the Mitra Mela was developed at Poona under the new name Abhinav Bharat or Young India after Mazzmi's Young Italy. It was inspired by the ideals of Young Italy and the cry of India for Indians echoed that of Italy for Italians. It preached the gospel of freedom and sang songs and ballads of freedom, the refrain of which was free India from the foreigner's yoke . 8> The C.I.D. reported in early 1906 that Savarkar dehvered speeches at Poona and Nasik, the object of which was to arouse the passion for independenee and hatred for the foreign rulers of the country and to suggest how by means of mental training and physical exercises preparation might be made for successful revolt .9) When Savarkar left for London in 1906, his brother Ganesh Savarkar camed on the activities of Abhinav Bharat. The organisation continued to ilourish and its branches spread ali over Maharash-tra. 10> Many colleges and educational institutions in Poona and Bombay had at least one secret society or branch of the Abhinav Bìiarat. The youngmen thus saturated with revolutionary ideas went away, completing their educa­tion, and became the leaders in their own towns and citìes and started the
guru, was a venerateci hindu saint. Both were associateci with the rise of national feelings as symbols of the Indian politicai renaissance.
guru, was a venerated Hindu saint. Both were associated with the rise of national feelings between the objects and methods of Young Italy and Mitra Mela. The manifesto of Young Italy read, The members of the association join with the firra intention of consecrating both thought and action to the great cause of reconstituiing Italy as one independent sovereign nation of free men and equals {Scritti editi ed inediti [S.E.I.], voi. II, p. 54). The means by which Young Italy proposed to realise its aims were education and insurrection to be adopted simultaneously and harmonised with each other. Education though of necessity secret in Italy, but will be public out of Italy. ... insurrection by means of guerilla bands ... is the true method of warfare for ali nations desirous of emancipating themselves from a foriegn yoke {Ivi, pp. 51-53).
6) In 1909 Savarkar was in London. In the month of December, Nasik Districi Magistrate was killcd by some revolutionaries. According to C.I.D. report, the pistols, secretly acni by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, was used to kill the magistrate. Savarkar was arrested in London and sent to India to stand trial in Nasik Conspiracy Case. He was sentcnced to two consecutive JiCe transportations.
7) Source Material... cit., voi. II, p. 395.
) R. C. MAIUMDAR (ed.), Struggle for Freedom, voi. XI, Bombay, 1969, p. 203.
9) Source Material... cit., voi, II, p. 400.
W> R. C. MAIUMDAR (ed.), op. cit., voi. XI, p. 203.