State your opinion: According to Swatantryaveer Savarkar, the Independence War of 1857 was the first war of Independence.

Answer: I agree with Savarkar’s view.

• In his book ‘The Indian War of Independence, 1857’ Savarkar called the struggle the first war of Indian independence, not a mere mutiny of soldiers.
• Soldiers, kings, zamindars, peasants and artisans took part, and Hindus and Muslims fought together.
• Its aim was to end British rule; the rebels declared Bahadur Shah Zafar as the emperor of India.
• It spread over a vast area of North and Central India and inspired later generations of freedom fighters, so it can be called the first war of independence.