Prime Minister Narendra Modi – in the French port city of Marseille, as part of a two-day visit to that country – paid homage to the memory of freedom fighter VD Savarkar and his attempted escape from a British ship anchored there en route to India, where he was to stand trial.
“Landed in Marseille. In India’s quest for freedom, this city holds special significance. It was here that the great Veer Savarkar attempted a courageous escape,” Mr Modi said in an X post.
“I also want to thank the people of Marseille and the French activists of that time who demanded he not be handed over to British custody,” the PM said in his post.
“The bravery of Veer Savarkar continues to inspire generations!”
Landed in Marseille. In India’s quest for freedom, this city holds special significance. It was here that the great Veer Savarkar attempted a courageous escape. I also want to thank the people of Marseille and the French activists of that time who demanded that he not be handed…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 11, 2025
Savarkar attempted his escape on July 8,1910 from HMS Morea.
He reportedly slipped through a porthole (a small, usually circular, window) and swam ashore, where he was captured by French authorities and handed back to officials on the HMS Morea.
The incident triggered a major diplomatic row; Savarkar was later sentenced to life imprisonment at the Cellular Jail in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Mr Modi is in Marseille to inaugurate a new Consulate General office in the city.
He is accompanied by President Emmanuel Macron; the leaders also have a series of other engagements planned for the day, including a visit to the Mazargues War Cemetery to honour the sacrifice of Indian soldiers who died fighting in World War I and II. A tour of the ITER – an international nuclear fusion collaboration project – is also on their agenda.
On Tuesday, after Mr Modi arrived in Paris, the two addressed a summit on Artificial Intelligence, in which the Prime Minister spoke about how AI is playing a crucial role in our daily lives.
He also spoke about job losses due to AI and highlighted how this must be tackled.
“We must pull together our resources and talent and develop open source systems that enhance trust and transparency and develop quality datasets, free from biases, in order to benefit the world. AI must be about people-centric applications. We must address concerns related to cyber security, disinformation, and deep fakes,” PM Modi said, as leaders from across the world listened.
With input from agencies
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