Gandhi’s Killer
Nathuram Godse is infamously known as the man who assassinated Gandhi in 1948. But who was
he?
Nathuram Godse became aware of "Hinduness", a word used to describe movements advocating
Hindu nationalism, as a student in India in the early 1900s. This influenced his thinking, and
specifically led to him joining a Hindu nationalist organization known as Hindu Mahasabha.
Hindu Mahasabha, aka. the All-Indian Great Hindu Assembly, was founded in 1915 to counter the
Muslim League and the secular Indian National Congress. The Indian National Congress wanted
India to be secular, so neither Hinduism nor Islam would be represented in the government. Hindu
Mahasabha was particularly opposed to the separatist politics of the Muslim League, which called
for a separate Muslim nation.
The Hindu Mahasabha had initially backed Gandhi's campaigns of civil disobedience against the
British government. Godse himself had actively participated in the civil disobedience movement.
However, Godse and his mentors later rejected Gandhi. They felt that Gandhi was sacrificing Hindu
interests in an effort to appease minority groups, especially Muslims.
At this time, Godse founded a newspaper, The Hindu Nation, to get his ideas across. In it he saw
the modern state of India as a strictly Hindu nation, and looked to preserve the Hindu heritage.
Godse believed that the Mahatma was responsible for the 1947 partition of India and the creation of
Pakistan, thus giving part of traditional India away to the Muslims.
The Indian government, shortly after independence, decided to transfer hundreds of rupees to the
government of Pakistan, which infuriated Godse and his friends.
It is far from clear whether or not the decision to assassinate Gandhi was taken by Godse alone, or
whether he had consulted with other Mahasabha members, or even received their help in carrying
out the assassination. Mahasabha resolutely denied all complicity, and Godse took full
responsibility. However, many critics believe that Godse did not act alone.
Godse assassinated Gandhi on January 30, 1948, approaching him during a public appearance,
bowing, and shooting him at close range.
Following his assassination of Gandhi, Godse, who did not try to flee, was captured and tried.
At his trial, Godse said, “I instinctively came to revere Hindu religion, Hindu history and Hindu
culture. I had, therefore, been intensely proud of Hinduism as a whole.”
“When Hindus in Pakistan were subjected to violent attacks he [Gandhi] did not so much as utter a
single word to protest and censure the Pakistan Government or the Muslims concerned.”
“Gandhi is being referred to as the Father of the Nation. But if that is so, he had failed his paternal
duty inasmuch as he has acted very treacherously to the nation by his consenting to the partitioning
of it. I stoutly maintain that Gandhi has failed in his duty. He has proved to be the Father of
Pakistan.”
“I do say that my shots were fired at the person whose policy and action had brought ruin and
destruction to millions of Hindus…I had no respect for the present government [of Nehru] owing to
their policy which was unfairly favorable towards the Muslims.”
Godse was hanged on November 15, 1949, along with co-conspirator Narayan Apte.
Two others were sentenced to life imprisonment for their part in the conspiracy. Gopal Godse,
Nathuram’s brother, was given an 16-year prison sentence for his role as a co-conspirator.
Vinayak Savarkar was also charged with conspiracy in the assassination of Gandhi, but was
acquitted and subsequently released.
The conspirators, who all considered themselves Hindu extremists, blamed Gandhi, whose actions
they say led to the partition of India which in turn led to the inflammation of sectarian strife
between Pakistan's Muslims and India's Hindus.
Gopal Godse, who admitted in 2000 that “In our school days, Gandhi was our idol,” continued to
hate Gandhi for the rest of his life. In an interview in 1998 he reiterated that he never regretted
Gandhi's killing. "We did not want this man to live," Godse said in the interview. "We did not want
this man to die a natural death, even if 10 lives were to be lost for that purpose."
Gopal died in 2005, the last of the conspirators of the assassination to die. In 2005 in India, he was
interviewed by Time magazine and he had the following to say about Gandhi: “I name him the most
cruel person for Hindus in India. The most cruel person!”
A group photo of the people accused in Gandhi's
murder case.
Standing: Shankar Kistaiya, Gopal Godse,
Madanlal Pahwa, Digambar Badge (Approver)
Sitting: Narayan Apte, Vinayak D. Savarkar,
Nathuram Godse, Vishnu Karkare
Gopal in front of a memorial to his brother,
Nathuram
Nathuram Godse Trial
You are to act as if you are Nathuram Godse, the infamous assassin of Mohandas Gandhi in January
1948.
You are on trial for the assassination and you have the chance to explain your motives to not only
the courtroom, judge, and jury, but also to all of India and the world. Make sure you answer the
following questions in your opening statement:
-When and why did you start to disagree with Gandhi?
-Why, as a Hindu, do you feel he “sold out”?
-Why was it necessary to kill him?
-Do you feel sorry for what you did?
-How should Gandhi be remembered by India and the world?
-What would you have done to resolve the whole Hindu-Muslim conflict if it were up to you?
-What do you feel your punishment, if any, should be?