During the writing of this book, the history of imperial mercy has periodically emerged as a site of national debate in India. The issue has revolved almost singularly around Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, the ideologue of Hindutva and vocal critic of the Indian National Congress. The historical context around this ongoing controversy requires a short summary.

In 1910, Savarkar was placed on trial in the Bombay High Court for waging war against the king and abetment to murder. The charges were a response to the assassination of Arthur Jackson, the collector of Nasik in western India. As explored briefly in Chapter 5, Jackson had been shot dead by the young revolutionary Anant Kanhere. Before Kanhere was executed, he implicated Savarkar in the plot. Savarkar was subsequently found guilty on both counts and sentenced to transportation for fifty years.