Nathuram Godse-The True Indian or The Inspiring Killer

This is the part of the long inspiring speech given by Nathuram Godse in the court when he was tried for the murder of Mahatma Gandhi

“I now stand before the court to accept the full share of my responsibility for what I have done and the judge would, of course, pass against me such orders of sentence as may be considered proper. But I would like to add that I do not desire any mercy to be shown to me, nor do I wish that anyone else should beg for mercy on my behalf. My confidence about the moral side of my action has not been shaken even by the criticism levelled against it on all sides. I have no doubt that honest writers of history will weigh my act and find the true value thereof some day in future. “

-NATHURAM GODSE

For full speech refer here-Nathuram Godse's defense speech in court

Pradeep Dalvi's controversial play Mi Nathuram Godse Boltoy has once again ruffled feathers. Like it did in 1989, when the playwright was denied permission by the Maharashtra government to stage the drama. After its brief resurrection nine years later, the state government has now banned the play.

Find full play refer here-Mi Nathuram Godse

Tomorrow that same play is going to be performed by the fellow students at my University’s Auditorium. Initially I didn’t know much about this popular play. A friend of mine Rahul Sharma taught me few interesting aspects related to this play and his inspiring comments on Nathuram Godse made me to study the full play. Subsequently, the play Mi Nathuram Godse encouraged me to know more about the man who assassinated our Father of the Nation, Mohandas Karamchandra Gandhi.

Fifty-two years ago, on Jan. 30, 1948, Mohandas Gandhi was shot dead by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu extremist. Godse believed that the Mahatma, or great soul, was responsible for the 1947 partition of India and the creation of Pakistan. Godse and his friend Narayan Apte were hanged. His brother Gopal and two others were sentenced to life imprisonment for their part in the conspiracy. Gopal Godse remained in jail for 18 years and now, at 80, lives with his wife in a small apartment in Pune. He is still proud of his role in the murder. After so many years he looks back in anger and without regret, in context of Mahatma Gandhi, he
says- "His Principle of Peace Was Bogus"

In 2000, Shri Dharam Jit Jigyasu gave his grand son, Muni Jaitly an eyewitness account of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. Jigyasu was holding Gandhi when he died.

He was in Delhi during the same time as Gandhi. It was widely known that while in Delhi, Gandhi always stayed at Birla Bhavan, a house belonging to India's biggest industrialist family.

“Pitaji”, says Muni Jaitly, “decided to spend the night so that he could attend Gandhi's daily Hindu prayer meeting at six o'clock.

After asking for directions, Pitaji went off on foot, in traditional Indian dhoti (homespun loincloth dress), Gandhi hat, and sandals.

Pitaji was standing next to the assassin, Nathuram Godse, when all who were present kneeled before Gandhi to greet him.

Godse shot Gandhi three times. Pitaji heard Gandhi utter the words, "Hai ram [Oh God] ... Hai ram ... Hai Ram" as he hit the ground.

Instead of attacking Godse, Pitaji, along with Gandhi's nieces Manu and Abha, picked up Gandhi's body and rushed him to nearby Birla house. Pitaji carried Gandhi by the head.

It was there that Gandhi was pronounced dead.”

Gandhi ji said “Hey Ram” just before he was about to die but if we believe Gopal Godse words, he did not say anything. "When the bullets pass through crucial points like the heart, consciousness is finished. You have no strength" says Godse in an interview to THE TIME.

You can find it here- His Principles of Pease Was Bogus.

From tomorrow night till now, I have been thinking only Nathuram Godse and Mahatma Gandhi. I have tried to understand the perspective of both of these individuals. Still I think I am too young to reach even close to any conclusion whether Nathuram Godse is The True Indian or The Inspiring Killer, as the title of this article says.

At this moment I am more than interested in knowing others viewpoint. If you are reading this article and arrived at any type of conclusion or, if you are still perplexed like me, PLEASE don’t forget to tell me your thoughts. Meanwhile I’ll try to scratch my head more to get to a conclusion.

References:-

1.) Nathuram Godse

2.) Know more about him

3.) Gandhi - Godse