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,