१८५७ का स्वातन्त्र्य समर (वीर विनायक दामोदर सावरकर - अंग्रेजों द्वारा छपने से पूर्व प्रतिबन्धित महाग्रन्थ)

THE VOLCANO
Burma was also annexed. Now, at last, the whole of
Hindusthan—from the Himalayas to Rameshwar and
from the Sindhu to the Iravady became red—but, oh !
Dalhousie, do you not fear that it will soon be redder still ?
Do we realise what is meant by the annexation of the
Panjab and Burma ? We cannot form an idea of it
from mere names. The Panjab alone is a territory of
50,000 sq. miles and a population of four millions ! It is
the land watered by the five sacred rivers of the Vedas, on
the banks of which the Rishis in ancient times had recit-
ed sacred mantras ! To conquer such a region Alexander
came from Greece, to defend such a region King Porus
fought. After taking such a country, the ambition even
of Ravana would have been satisfied ; but the land-hunger
of Dalhousie was not satisfied even after swallowing not
only the Panjab but also the extensive dominion
of Burma. Though the frontiers of India were extended,
there still remained the graves of ancient kingdoms within.
Dalhousie therefore began to root these out and level
everything. Not only did they occupy too much valuable
space, but there was the fear that from these graves might
one day rise the future avengers of India's wrongs.
In the grave at Satara was buried a magnificent Hindu
Empire. And it is no wonder that Dalhousie, who
was a believer in the Resurrection of Jesus was afraid
that out of Satara might rise a future Hindu Emperor who
would confound the foreigner and establish Swaraj. In
April 1848, Appa Sahib, the Maharaja of Satara, died.
At this news, Dalhousie decided to annex that State. And
what was the reason ? The King had no direct heirs !
Even the cottage of the village labourer who has no direct
heir is not confiscated but is given to his adopted son or
to his near relatives. And Satara was not a peasant’s
cottage but an ‘ally’ of the English Government. In the
year 1839, Pratap Singh Chhatrapati had been charged
with having engaged in a conspiracy with the object of
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