Family members of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Khudiram Bose have dismissed as “mockery of history” and “cheap publicity stunt” any suggestion that Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar had a role in inspiring the freedom fighters.

Their reaction follows a tweet by actor Randeep Hooda, who plays Savarkar in the biopic “Swatantrata Veer Savarkar”. “The most wanted Indian by the British. The inspiration behind revolutionaries like Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, Bhagat Singh and Khudiram Bose,” Hooda had tweeted.

Netaji’s daughter Anita Bose Pfaff said perhaps the only thing common between her father and Savarkar was their religion. “Netaji was a devout, religious man. One can also say that he was a devout Hindu. At the same time, he had great respect for all other religions,” she told TOI.

“Like Mahatma Gandhi, Netaji was opposed to the divisiveness based on religious differences. Let Sarvarkar’s followers join Netaji in his vision for India and not hijack him for views that certainly were not his,” Pfaff said.

Subrata Roy, grandnephew of Khudiram Bose who went to the gallows when he was just 18, said he had never seen any reference in books that the freedom fighter found inspiration in Savarkar.

 “Khudiram Bose was part of Anushilan Samiti, an underground society for revolutionaries. He was inspired by Hemchandra Kanungo, Satyen Bose and Aurobinda Ghosh,” said Roy.

Savarkar’s ideology, Netaji’s grandnephew Chandra Bose said, was totally different from that of Netaji and Saheed Bhagat Singh, who had fought for a secular united India. Savarkar wanted a Hindu Rashtra, much like Jinnah’s demand for a Muslim state, he said.

“There is ample evidence, both in Netaji’s writings and speeches, that he opposed Savarkar. In his unfinished autobiography, Bose states that in India’s freedom movement, one can expect nothing from the Hindu Mahasabha or the Muslim League. And there are multiple speeches in which he has said that nothing can be expected of Savarkar and Mohammad Ali Jinnah,” he said.

Netaji’s daughter Anita Bose Pfaff (above) said perhaps the only thing common between her father and Savarkar was their religion