Gandhi’s Assassination - Godse and RSS Connection

An E-Digest

Compiled by Ram Puniyani

(For Private Circulation)

Center for Study of Society and Secularism 602 & 603, New Silver Star, Behind BEST Bus Depot, Santacruz (E), Mumbai: - 400 055. E-mail: [email protected], www.csss-isla.com Page | 1 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

Contents

Page No.

Preface 03

1. RSS and Gandhi Murder 04 by A.G. Noorani

(Table: Sardar Patel’s Correspondence)

2. RSS and the Gandhi Murder 15 by Badri Raina

3. No discussion on who killed Mahatma Gandhi is complete without addressing idea of a Hindu Rashtra 18 by Teesta Setalvad

4. Who Killed Gandhi? 22 by Tushar A Gandhi

5. RSS & Murder of Mahatma Gandhi: What do contemporary documents tell? 24 by Shamsul Islam

6. The First Terrorist of Independent India 25 by Subhash Gatade

7. Gandhi Murder and Role RSS: Debate Continues 32 by Ram Puniyani

8. Gandhi, RSS and Godse 34 by L.S. Hardenia

Book Review

9. Preserving the truth behind Gandhi’s Murder 39 by Hari Narayan

10. Savarkar and Hindutva 41 by A.G. Noorani

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Preface

Murder of Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi was also the first major attack of Hindu nationalism on Indian Nationalism. The murderer of Gandhi, Godse was deeply steeped in the ideology of Hindu nationalism, he grew up in RSS and later also started working for Hindu Mahasabha. In a way he was a unique blend of both the streams of Hindu Nationalism, Hindu Mahasabha and RSS.

The Hindu nationalist RSS has always claimed that they have nothing to do with Godse etc. to hide Godse’s association with RSS. In response to Rahul Gandhi’s statement about Godse and RSS, RSS people have filed cases against Rahul Gandhi bringing to fore the debate about Gandhi murder, Godse and his connection with RSS.

This small compilation in the form of E Digest has picked up few pertinent articles on this theme to apprise activists and those interested in knowing the truth behind the same.

I am grateful to authors whose articles have been reproduced here.

Ram Puniyani Centre for Study of Society and Secularism Mumbai

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1. RSS & Gandhi’s murder By A.G. Noorani

There is enough historical evidence to nail the RSS’ lie that Nathuram Godse was not a member of that organisation when he assassinated Mahatma Gandhi in 1948.

On Saturday, September 10, I was invited to lunch To deny that the RSS killed Gandhi is, therefore, at a dear friend’s home. Present were his sister to raise an Aunt Sully for the sheer pleasure of and brother-in-law. On seeing me she told me, in knocking her down. No one alleges that any such disbelief and mild shock, that some flunkey of the resolution was passed by the RSS’ Kendriya Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) had claimed Karyakari Mandal at a meeting in its cavern in on the TV that I had apologised for asserting that Nagpur, or that Godse had acted on its behalf. the RSS had killed Gandhi. I was, momentarily, What is alleged is that he was a member of the taken aback. I had never tendered any apology to RSS and shared its ideas. What is relevant is that this disreputable and utterly despicable body, he fully shared his organisation’s outlook on hate orally or in writing. Indeed, no person of any and violence and this is what drove him to intelligence would make such an assertion either, commit that ghastly crime. The RSS cannot however deep his loathing for the RSS—like this escape blame, as Vallabhbhai Patel pointed out to writer’s. The reason is simple. Whether it is a Syama Prasad Mookerjee. An organisation whose registered society or a company, it is still an member commits a crime incurs odium. What organisation and acts, necessarily, through its could be the fons et origo, the origin, of the members or officials. slander? My mind went back to an unfortunate Page | 4 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

episode 15 years ago when I wrote a weekly were sent to me and of none other. In all those column from 1992 to 2000 for The Statesman, nearly nine years I had freely reviewed books which was edited by a dear friend, Cushrow R. which publishers had sent to me directly, Irani, who had bravely stood up to Indira Gandhi’s including foreign publishers. I was hurt and authoritarian regime during the Emergency. He offended and wrote back instantly to say that I was generous; be it in regard to space or content. would not be writing for The Statesman after all. It was a hasty and ungracious response. Irani was naturally most offended and hurt, too; quite rightly so. The friendship suffered.

I mention this personal episode, unusually, because it has a bearing on the case that was filed and its conclusion. To begin with, I was roped in despite the fact that there was not a word in my article on Gandhi’s murder, let alone the RSS’ responsibility for that crime. There are fortunately two documents of unimpeachable credibility on the two crucial points, namely, my article and Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse’s membership of the RSS. Sadly, around 2000, our friendship came under a strain. We disagreed on a couple of things; The first is a letter by one Suresh Bajpayee, especially on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). We secretary, RSS, which was published in The communicated less. I agreed to go to Kolkata to Statesman as early as on January 25, 2000, almost participate in a debate held under the auspices of exactly a year before I was obliged to appear the paper, on September 16, 2000, only in order before a magistrate in one of the Tis Hazari Courts to clear the air over my writings on Kashmir. He in New Delhi. It read thus: “We have seen with politely brushed aside my anxieties on the pain and anguish the cartoon published on the growing differences. The RSS had filed a case of editorial page of your paper in the issue of 15-16 defamation in New Delhi in respect of an article I January along with the article ‘RSS and Services- had written; rather, in respect of a cartoon that II’. It shows a person wearing shorts, white shirt was published as an illustration [to the article]. with folded sleeves and wearing a cap firing from Irani referred to the RSS’ case defiantly in his a pistol on Mahatma Gandhi. On the back of the speech on that occasion in the presence of assassin have been written the words ‘RSS’. The Sushma Swaraj and a friend, Salman Haidar. His Mahatma is seen fallen on the ground with blood resolve to fight it out was impressive. flowing from his chest. The author of this cartoon is some Debabrata. Thus, the cartoon clearly tells It was most unfortunate that my effort at a the reader that it was the RSS organisation which candid talk did not succeed. In the last week of murdered Mahatma Gandhi. We are sure that December that year, I received a letter from him you are aware of the basic facts of the matter informing me that my review of a book on which are contrary to what has been shown in the Kashmir would not be published and in future I cartoon.” The next nine long paragraphs were should contribute reviews only of books that devoted to establishing the RSS’ innocence. Page | 5 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

Three features deserve note. First, there was no represented us all was instructed to apologise for reference to me at all or even a mention of the all of us orally in court or whether there was a writer of the article. Secondly, the subject of the written apology agreed to by Irani; if so, it was article was not Gandhi’s murder but the ban on not shown to me, nor, of course, the terms of the the recruitment of members of the RSS, besides statement in court. If it was an apology, my those of bodies like the Jamaat-e-Islami, to public consent and approval were not sought at all. I services. The Gujarat government headed by was not party to any settlement that might have Narendra Modi sought to lift the ban with the been reached between C.R. Irani and the RSS. He encouragement of his then patron L.K. Advani, never mentioned any apology. Union Home Minister. Lastly, the entire grievance ventilated in this letter was in respect of the I could not possibly have concurred in any cartoon alone. The cartoonist’s name was apology. Only a few days earlier, my book The RSS mentioned. and the BJP had been launched; on December 6, 2000, by Jyoti Basu in New Delhi. It had a whole What, then, was I supposed to apologise for? A chapter (4) on “The RSS and Gandhi”. It was statement I had not made? Yet, some months published by LeftWord. In 2002, after the case got later, a criminal complaint was filed against Irani, over in 2001, LeftWord published my book as Editor, Printer, and Publisher, the cartoonist Savarkar and Hindutva: The Godse Connection. Its and, incredibly, against me, as the writer of the chapter 5, on Gandhi’s murder, sets out the entire article. evidence on Nathuram Godse and Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, the RSS and BJP’s ideologue, When the case first came up for hearing in and refutes the claim that Godse had left the RSS. January 2001, I was under handicaps more than one. My relations with Irani, though not severed, Since then, I have missed no opportunity to nail were strained. I did not know a single member of the Sangh Parivar’s lies; to cite a few: 1. On the Bar practising in those courts and I would be September 28, 2005, in Chennai, I spoke at the obliged repeatedly to fly from Mumbai to New Asian College of Journalism on Savarkar’s Delhi at my own expense. Since Irani, judging by complicity. The discussion was moderated by N. his speech on September 16, 2000, seemed set on Ram, then Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu. 2. In an fighting out the case, I readily accepted his offer article in Hindustan Times of March 4, 2003, I of joint appearance through an advocate of his reverted at length to the theme of attacking the choice. I was obliged to go to Delhi once to seek decision to put up Savarkar’s portrait in exemption from personal appearance, which the Parliament House opposite that of Gandhi. 3. In court readily granted. To ask for a discharge on an article in The Hindu of January 30, 2013, the ground that no offence was disclosed against entitled “How Savarkar escaped the gallows”, I me at all was to break ranks and incur dealt at length with his culpability for the crime. unpleasantness. Especially since Irani was committed to fighting out the case. Thus, for over a decade and a half, I have consistently, unflinchingly written on the nexus Queries about the progress of the case later between Savarkar and Godse and also Godse’s elicited vague answers in reassurance and, finally, membership and loyalty to the RSS without the information that it was all over, hinting at a anyone in its media wing challenging my settlement. My requests for its terms were credentials. I shall continue to do so as long as I ignored. To this day I do not know what those am alive. terms were and whether the advocate who

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Gopal Godse’s testimony Let me now proceed to revert to the entire subject “with added enthusiasm” and nail the This brings me to the second document. It is an RSS’ lies to the counter. The evidence may be interview given by the assassin Nathuram Godse’s considered under five heads—the RSS’ addiction brother, Gopal Godse, also an accused in the to hate, laced with venom; its use of violence; the case, to Arvind Rajagopal. It was with reference to relationship between the Hindu Mahasabha, led the BJP president L.K. Advani’s statement on by V.D. Savarkar, and the RSS, and, relatedly, November 21, 1993, that Godse was “a bitter between Godse and Savarkar, coupled with his critic” of the RSS and “we have had nothing to do membership of the RSS; the BJP; and lastly, the with Godse” (The Times of India, November 22, exposures at the Gandhi murder trial. 1993). 1. Dislike is not uncommon among political This is what his brother Gopal Godse had to say of adversaries; hatred is rare. The RSS’ hatred is Advani and of Nathuram’s membership of the laced with venom. Its supremo M.S. Golwalkar’s RSS. The questions and answers are set out: book Bunch of Thoughts (1966) reeks of venomous hate towards Muslims, Christians, and “Q. Were you a part of the RSS? Communists (Chapter 12); and towards Gandhi: “Those who declared ‘No swaraj without Hindu- A. All the brothers were in the RSS. Nathuram, Muslim unity’ have thus perpetrated the greatest Dattatreya, myself and Govind. You can say we treason on our society. They have committed the grew up in the RSS rather than in our homes. It most heinous sin of killing the life-spirit of a great was like a family to us. and ancient people. To preach impotency to a society which gave rise to a Shivaji who, in the Q. Nathuram stayed in the RSS? He did not leave words of the great historian Jadunath Sarkar, it? ‘proved to the whole world that the Hindu has drunk the elixir of immortality’, and to break the A. Nathuram had become a baudhik karyavah self-confident and proud spirit of such a great and (intellectual worker) in the RSS. He said in his virile society has no parallel in the history of the statement that he left the RSS. He said it because world for sheer magnitude of its betrayal.… Golwalkar and the RSS were in a lot of trouble after the murder of Gandhi. But he did not leave “This leadership only came as a bitter climax of the RSS. the despicable tribe of so many of our ancestors who during the past twelve hundred years sold Q. Advani has recently said that Nathuram had their national honour and freedom to foreigners, nothing to do with RSS. and joined hands with the inveterate enemies of our country and our religion in cutting the throats A. I have countered him, saying it is cowardice to of their own kith and kin to gratify their personal say that. You can say that RSS did not pass a egoism, selfishness and rivalry. No wonder resolution, saying that, ‘go and assassinate nemesis overtook such a people in the form of Gandhi.’ But you do not disown him [Nathuram]. such a self-destructive leadership.” The reference The Hindu Mahasabha did not disown him. In to “nemesis” is significant. 1944 Nathuram started doing Hindu Mahasabha work when he had been a baudhik karyavah in Savarkar shared this poison. On May 14, 1944, he the RSS” (Frontline, January 28, 1994). said: “The Hindu Sangathanists should not contribute a single pie to the Congressite

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Kasturba (Gandhi) Fund (Historic Statements, instead of agreeing to the immediate arrest of the page 109). ring leader as we had hoped, and as Kidwai would have done, he asked for the matter to be placed Conspiracy and the hunt for Golwalkar for consideration by Cabinet at its next meeting. It was no doubt a matter of political delicacy as 2. Violence. Rajeshwar Dayal, who became the roots of the RSS had gone deep into the body Foreign Secretary, was Chief Secretary of Uttar politic. There were also other political Pradesh in 1947. He testified: “I must record an compulsions as RSS sympathisers, both covert episode of a very grave nature when the and overt, were to be found in the Congress party procrastination and indecision of the U.P. Cabinet itself and even in the Cabinet. It was no secret led to dire consequences. When communal that the presiding officer of the Upper House, tension was still at fever-pitch, the Deputy Atma Govind Kher, was himself an adherent and Inspector-General of Police of the Western Range, his sons were openly members of the RSS.… a very seasoned and capable officer, B.B.L. Jaitley, arrived at my house in great secrecy. He was “Golwalkar, however, had been tipped off and he accompanied by two of his officers who brought was nowhere to be found in the area. He was with them two large steel trunks securely locked. tracked down southwards but he managed to When the trunks were opened, they revealed elude the couriers in pursuit. This in fructuous incontrovertible evidence of a dastardly chase continued from place to place and weeks conspiracy to create a communal holocaust passed. Came January 30, 1948, when the throughout the western districts of the province. Mahatma, that supreme apostle of peace, fell to a The trunks were crammed with blueprints of bullet fired by an RSS fanatic. The whole tragic great accuracy and professionalism of every town episode left me sick at heart” (A Life of our Times, and village in the vast area, prominently marking 1998, pages 93-94; emphasis added). out the Muslim localities and habitations. There were also detailed instructions regarding access The Home Minister, Vallabhbhai Patel, wrote to to the various locations, and other matters which the Mahasabhaite in the Cabinet, Syama Prasad amply revealed their sinister purport. Mookerjee, who founded the Jan Sangh in 1951, in these terms: “As regards the RSS and the Hindu “Greatly alarmed by those revelations, I Mahasabha, the case relating to Gandhiji’s immediately took the police party to the murder is sub judice and I should not like to say Premier’s house (G.B. Pant). There, in a closed anything about the participation of the two room, Jaitley gave a full report of his discovery, organisations, but our reports do confirm that, as backed by all the evidence contained in the steel a result of the activities of these two bodies, trunks. Timely raids conducted on the premises of particularly the former (i.e. the RSS), an the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh) had atmosphere was created in the country in which brought the massive conspiracy to light. The such a ghastly tragedy became possible. There is whole plot had been concerted under the no doubt in my mind that the extreme section of direction and supervision of the Supremo of the the Hindu Mahasabha was involved in this organisation himself. Both Jaitley and I pressed conspiracy. The activities of the RSS constituted a for the immediate arrest of the prime accused, clear threat to the existence of Government and Shri Golwalkar, who was still in the area. the State. Our reports show that those activities, despite the ban, have not died down. Indeed, as “Pantji could not but accept the evidence of his time has marched on, the RSS circles are eyes and ears and expressed deep concern. But becoming more defiant and are indulging in their Page | 8 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

subversive activities in an increasing measure” third book advertised was May it Please Your (Sardar Patel’s Correspondence, Volume 6, page Honour, the assassin’s statement in court. 323). Thus, the RSS created the atmosphere Patel Another was by the judge who ordered the locks described in which the crime was committed. of the gates to the Babri Masjid opened on February 1, 1986, in flagrant breach of the law. 3. Nathuram Godse as member of the RSS. His Organiser is hardly likely to accept brother Gopal Godse’s testimony is conclusive. As advertisements for books critical of the RSS. for the Mahasabha, Nathuram Godse was besotted with Savarkar. Larry Collins and Two decades after the assassination, on January Dominique Lapierre’s book Freedom at Midnight 11, 1970, Organiser, then edited by K.R. Malkani, was based on police records. They record that he could remember Gandhi only in these terms in its took to “a new kind of secular shrine, the editorial: “It was in support of Nehru’s pro- headquarters of the RSS” (page 365). The RSS and Pakistan stand that Gandhiji went on fast and, in the Mahasabha had at times lovers’ quarrels. In the process, turned the people’s wrath on September 1932, the Mahasabha said that it himself.” So, Nathuram Godse represented “the “appreciates the efforts of Dr. Hedgewar for people”, and the murder he perpetrated was an starting a strong organisation of Hindus named expression of “the people’s wrath”. In 1961, Deen Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Central Dayal Upadhyaya said: “With all respect for Provinces and Berar (whose capital was Nagpur) Gandhiji, let us cease to call him ‘Father of the and other places and recommends that its Nation’. If we understand the old basis of branches be established in all Provinces so that it nationalism, then it will be clear that it is nothing may be an Akhil Bharatiya Organisation” (History but Hinduism.” of the Hindu Mahasabha, page 199; an appendix has a laudatory note on the RSS on page 425). The Times of India editorially noted on October 17, 1989: “Mr. Advani, while holding forth on In a letter to Savarkar, Nathuram Godse wrote: “It ‘Bharat Mata’, now goes so far as to deny that is a fact generally accepted that if there is to be a Mahatma Gandhi was the Father of the Nation.” Hindu Sangathan not only in Maharashtra but in None should be surprised at a photograph the whole of India, it would be systematically showing the RSS supremo, M.S. Golwalkar, brought about by one, and the only powerful sharing, in Pune in 1952, a platform with V.D. institution, that is the RSS” (K.L. Gauba, Savarkar, who had narrowly escaped conviction in Assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, 1969, pages the Gandhi murder case. 83-84; the letter was an exhibit in the trial. The book is based on the trial records). In a complete volte face, Sushma Swaraj, the BJP’s general secretary belatedly declared on October 4. The BJP’s rejection of Gandhi. For some time, 17, 1997: “Mahatma Gandhi is not the monopoly the BJP echoed its predecessor, the Jana Sangh, of the Congress Party.” There was a spate of false and their mentor, the RSS’ disdain for Gandhi. In claims of loyalty to the Mahatma, which I exposed the mid-1990s, when the capture of power at the in detail in my book The RSS and The BJP (pages Centre was in sight, it did a volte face. On October 81-83). 5, 1997, the RSS mouthpiece Organiser published an advertisement by a Delhi publisher for six A lawyer’s letter “Readable Attractive New Books”; two of them were by Gopal Godse: Qutab Minar is Vishnu 5. At the trial. Godse did his best to deny Dhwaja and Gandhiji’s Murder and After. The proximity to Savarkar to protect him while

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Savarkar virtually disowned him. An able statement in the court with all the gimmicks of an advocate, P.L. Inamdar, himself a devotee of orator bemoaning his fate of being charged with Savarkar, secured the acquittal of his client, D.S. the murder of Mahatmaji by the independent Parchure. His book reveals his disenchantment Indian Government, when he had admired and with Savarkar as well as his surprise at Savarkar’s eulogised the personality of the Mahatmaji so acquittal for reasons he does not conceal from sincerely and so often. Savarkar actually wiped his the reader (The Story of the Red Fort Trial 1948- cheeks in court while reading this part of his 49, Popular Prakashan, 1979, pages 141, 143 and oration…. 147). I quote it in extenso as it sheds light on Savarkar’s character and his “innocence”. The “Savarkar claimed that he was wholly innocent of book has received little notice. the crime! I am alive to the stage of his career at which Savarkar then was. But believe me, Inamdar writes: Savarkar was very nervous and was getting more and more agitated as the trial progressed. In the “During the whole of the trial, I never saw second week of September 1948, I received word Savarkar turning his head towards even from our senior, Bhopatkar, to say that Savarkar Nathuram, who used to sit by him, in fact next to wanted to see me and that he had sought the him, much less speak with him. While the other permission of the court, allowing me to visit the accused freely talked to each other exchanging jail for that purpose. I was a little surprised and notes or banter, Savarkar sat there sphinx-like in moreover nervous to have to tread on the path of silence, completely ignoring his co-accused in the my seniors, but my vanity took over and I dock, in an unerringly disciplined manner. He did consented to go to the jail and see Savarkar. I saw not talk to me in court during the whole of the Savarkar on or about the second Saturday in trial except once. He had, I thought, perhaps September 1948 in the Red Fort jail. …After a few resolved to act in court, his defense against the words of explanation as to why he had called me, charge of conspiracy with Nathuram or with any and warding off my humble protest for being one of the accused and, in fact, to perform his called upon to interfere in the work of my seniors, role demonstratively, even with respect to the he said, ‘I have very much liked your terse and counsels of the other accused! correct expression. …I want your opinion and assistance. I hope you do not mind.’ “During the various talks I had with Nathuram, he told me that he was deeply hurt by this— “‘Oh! It will be my proud privilege,’ I said, and we Tatyarao’s [Savarkar’s] calculated, demonstrative proceeded to discuss the case against him in non-association with him either in court or in the particular and also in general. I found him well Red Fort jail during all the days of the Red Fort posted with the details of the case against him; trial. How Nathuram yearned for a touch of they were very few. He talked about them in Tatyarao’s hand, a word of sympathy, or at least a thoroughly learned and elaborate legal jargon look of compassion in the secluded confines of using such expressions as hearsay evidence of the the cells! Nathuram referred to his hurt feelings first degree, second degree, etc. All that I had to in this regard even during my last meeting with do was, either express my approval of the line of him at the Simla High Court!.... argument, or suggest a few variations, which he made a note of. He repeatedly asked me if he “Savarkar had prepared a written statement in would be acquitted and wanted me to assure him defense of his case replete with appendices of sincerely. What I noted was that he did not ask newspaper cuttings and he read out the me a single question about the case against my Page | 10 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

clients, Dr. Parchure and Gopal Godse or about that for that purpose I should accompany them to any of the other accused including Nathuram, nor Delhi.” Badge returned to Bombay on January 17 any question about me personally. I spent nearly and met Godse and Apte. three hours with him.… “We got down from the taxi, and walked down to “I do not remember even today, when and how the house of Savarkar. Shankar was asked to wait Judge Atma Charan read out the operative outside the compound of Savarkar Sadan. Apte, portion of the order of acquittal of Savarkar! All I Godse and I entered the compound of that house. remember even today is that I had tried to look Apte asked me to wait in the room on the ground hard at Atma Charan, asking myself if he was the floor. Nathuram Godse and Apte then went up. same Atma Charan who had one day said to me: They came down after 5-10 minutes. Godse and ‘Believe me, I shall do full justice to the case Apte as they came down the stairs were followed which you have so ably put up!’ I angrily told immediately by Tatyarao. Tatyarao said be myself, ‘Yes, this is Atma Charan’s answer to the successful and come. The exact words used were last paragraph of the summing up of the case!’” ‘Yashasvi houn ya’. Tatyarao had addressed these words to Apte and Godse. We four then got into Disbelief, even anger, at Savarkar’s acquittal is as the taxi and proceeded towards the Ruia College. apparent as it is justified. Inamdar knew a lot. Apte said in the taxi that Tatyarao had predicted that Gandhiji’s hundred years were over. Apte Inamdar, himself a committed Mahasabhaite further said that there was no doubt that our ideologically, knew the truth. He had no work would be successfully finished. The exact hesitation in asserting that “Nathuram was a words used were ‘Tatyaravani ase bhavishya kale staunch RSS man” (page 25). He writes of “the ahew ki Gandhijichi sambhar varshe bharali—ata avowed RSS leaders from Poona, Nathuram apale kam nishchita honor yat kahi sanshya Godse and Apte” (page 108). This reference was nahi.’” part of his argument at the trial. He knew how very close Nathuram Godse was to Savarkar. Such The judge noted: “The examination and the cross- a major operation would not have, however, examination of the approver went on from been undertaken without the supremo’s 20.7.1948 till 30.7.1948. He was cross-examined blessings. for nearly seven days. There was thus an ample opportunity to observe his demeanour and the Approver Badge’s version manner of his giving evidence. He gave his version of the facts in a direct and straightforward The sole witness against Savarkar was Digambar manner. He did not evade cross-examination or Badge, who had turned approver. On January 14, attempt to evade or fence with any question. It 1948, moments after they met that day in would not have been possible for anyone to have Bombay, Apte, Godse and Badge went to Savarkar given evidence so unfalteringly stretching over Sadan. “Apte asked me to wait outside. Apte and such a long period and with such particularity in Godse went inside. They came back 5-10 minutes regard to the facts which had never taken place. later. Apte asked me if I was prepared to go with It is difficult to conceive of anyone memorising so them to Delhi. I asked him as to what was the long and so detailed a story if altogether without work at Delhi. Apte told me that Tatyarao had foundation.” decided that Gandhiji, Jawahar Lal Nehru and Suhrawardy should be ‘finished’ and had Badge was accepted as a truthful witness. But the entrusted that work to them. He further told me law required that an approver’s evidence must be

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independently corroborated. He was the sole organised and militant Hindu organisation in India witness. That corroboration came later before a and although it was not affiliated to the Hindu former judge of the Supreme Court, Justice Jivan Mahasabha, its prominent organisers and Lal Kapoor, in 1966 when a Commission of Inquiry workers were members of the Hindu Mahasabha was constituted and he was asked to inquire into ideology.” all the aspects of the conspiracy. Two aides of Savarkar deposed before him—Appa Ramchandra Behind the ban on RSS Kasar, his bodyguard, and Gajanan Vishnu Damle, his secretary. Both confirmed Badge’s account of Why was the RSS banned if it was pure as driven Savarkar’s meetings with Godse and Apte. snow —and banned by Patel? The reasons were set out in a communiqué on February 4, 1948, Justice Kapur observed: “The statements of both soon after Gandhi’s assassination on January 30. these witnesses show that both Apte and Godse It said: “Undesirable and even dangerous were frequent visitors of Savarkar at Bombay and activities have been carried on by members of the at conferences and at every meeting they are Sangh. It has been found that in several parts of shown to have been with Savarkar. …All this the country individual members of Rashtriya shows that people who were subsequently Swayamsevak Sangh have indulged in acts of involved in the murder of Mahatma Gandhi were violence involving arson, robbery, dacoity, and all congregating sometime or the other at murder and have collected illicit arms and Savarkar Sadan and sometimes had long ammunitions. They have been found circulating interviews with Savarkar…. Apte and Godse leaflets exhorting people to resort to terrorist visited him both before the bomb was thrown methods, to collect firearms, to create and also before the murder was committed and disaffection against the government and suborn on each occasion they had long interviews.” the police and the military. These activities have been carried on under a cloak of secrecy, and the Had they but testified in court, Savarkar would government has considered from time to time have been convicted. There was none of the how far these activities rendered it incumbent on ambiguity surrounding Godse and Apte’s visits to them to deal with the Sangh in its corporate Savarkar on January 14 and 17, 1948. Appa capacity. Ramchandra Kasar told the Kapur Commission that they visited him also on or about January 23 “It was then unanimously agreed in November or 24 when they returned from Delhi after the 1947 that the stage when the Sangh should be bomb incident. Gajanan Vishnu Damle deposed dealt with as an association had not yet arrived that Godse and Apte saw Savarkar “in the middle and that individuals should continue to be dealt of January and sat with him [Savarkar] in his with sternly as hitherto. The objectionable and garden”. harmful activities of the Sangh have, however, continued unabated and the cult of violence Justice Kapur concluded: “All these facts taken sponsored and inspired by the activities of the together were destructive of any theory other Sangh has claimed many victims. The latest and than the conspiracy to murder by Savarkar and the most precious to fall was Gandhiji himself. his group”. “In these circumstances it is the bounden duty of Justice Kapur found that “many RSS members the government to take effective measures to were members of the Hindu Mahasabha”. One of curb this reappearance of violence in a virulent his conclusions: “(4)(a) The RSS was the best form and as a first step to this end, they have

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decided to declare the Sangh as an unlawful was connected with the Hindu Mahasabha” and association.” Gandhi’s murder forced the “unequivocally condemned this foul act”. government to deal with the RSS “in its corporate capacity”. Since Godse was very much a member of the RSS, as his own brother testified, will the RSS follow On February 14 and 15, 1948, the Mahasabha’s the Mahasabha’s example and hang its head in working committee said: “It was a matter of shame? shame and humiliation that the alleged assassin

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Letter- Sardar Vallabhai Patel to RSS Chief Guru Golwalkar – 1948 #Godse #mustread

Sabrang Archives (1999)

‘RSS has never backed Godse: The Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh consistently lashes out at some “vested political interests” for taking recourse to lie and calumny to malign “patriotic and nationalist” organisations.” Commenting on an advertisement highlighting a quote allegedly of RSS chief Rajendra Singh, general secretary H.V.Seshadri said, “The RSS has never supported the act of Nathuram Godse.” (1999). A similar discourse is audible today.

The fascist agenda of the RSS has always justified the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. Enclosed is the entire text of a letter written by none less than Sardar Vallabhai Patel, independent India’s first union home minister commenting on RSS activities following Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination. The entire text is invaluable. He says clearly, “The RSS men expressed joy and distributed sweets after Gandhiji’s death.”

Sardar Vallabhai Patel, union home minister, to Guru Golwalkar, RSS chief in a letter written on September 11, 1948. The letter is quoted in full in Desraj Goel’s Rahstriya Swayamsevak Sangh.The entire Text :

Aurangzeb Road, New Delhi,

11th Sept. 1948

Brother Sri Golwalkar,

Received your letter dated 11th August. Jawaharlal has also sent me your letter of the same date.

You are very well aware of my views on the RSS. I have expressed these thoughts at Jaipur in December last month at Lucknow in January. The people had welcomed

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those views. I had hoped that your people also would accept them. But they appear to have no effect on the RSS persons, nor was there any change in their programmes. There can be no doubt that the RSS did service to the Hindu Society. In the areas where there was the need for help and organisation, the young men of the RSS protected women and children and strove much for their sake. No person of understanding could have a word of objection regarding that. But the objectionable part arose when they, burning with revenge, began attacking Mussalmans. Organising Hindus and helping them is one thing but going in for revenge for its sufferings on innocent and helpless men, women and children is quite another thing.

Apart from this, their opposition to the Congress, that too of such virulence, disregarding all considerations of personality, decency or decorum, created a kind of unrest among the people. All their speeches were full communal poison. It was not necessary to spread poison and enthuse the Hindus and organise for their protection. As a final result of the poison, the country had to suffer the sacrifice of the valuable life of Gandhiji. Even an iota of sympathy of the Government or of the people no more remained for the RSS. In fact the opposition grew. Opposition turned more severe, when the RSS men expressed joy and distributed sweets after Gandhiji’s death. Under these conditions it became inevitable for the Government to take action against the RSS.

Since then, over six months have elapsed. We have hoped that after this lapse of time, with full and proper consideration the RSS persons would come to the right path. But from the reports that come to me, it is evident that attempts to put fresh life into their same old activities are afoot. I once again ask you to give your thought to my Jaipur and Lucknow speeches and accept the path I had indicated for the RSS. I am quite certain that therein lies the good of the RSS and the country and moving in that path we can join hands in achieving the welfare of our country. Of course, you are aware that we are passing through delicate times. It is the duty of everyone from the highest to the lowliest in this country to contribute his mite, in whatever way possible, to the service of the country. In this delicate hour there is no place for party conflicts and old quarrels. I thoroughly convinced that the RSS men can carry on their patriotic endeavor only by joining the Congress and not by keeping separate or by opposing. I am glad that you have been released. I hope that you will arrive at the proper decision after due consideration of what I have said above. With regard to restrictions imposed upon you I am in correspondence with the CP Government. I shall let you know after receiving their reply.

Yours

(SD.) VALLABH BHAI PATEL

(Rendered from the original in Hindi)*

Justice on Trial: Historic Document of Guruji-Government Correspondence, pp. 26-8;

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N.B. This letter also, incidentally, clarifies the misunderstanding created that the Sardar had invited them to join the Congress; the invitation is for rethinking and change of heart and then giving it a concrete shape by merger into the Congress. The same thing JP tried to accomplish later and failed.

Another quote from Sardar Patel:

“As regards the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha… our reports do confirm that, as a result of the activities of these two bodies, particularly the former (RSS) an atmosphere was created in the country in which such a ghastly tragedy became possible.”

Sardar Vallabhai Patel, union home minister to Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, who later founded the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, in a letter on July 18, 1948. Sardar Patel Correspondence, Volume 6, edited by Durga Das.

2. RSS And The Gandhi Murder

By Badri Raina

ONE repetitive cliché of ‘centrist’ opinion is that Left-wingers and Right-wingers are, at bottom, NATHURAM GODSE’S RSS CONNECTIONS blood brothers. Although this is a subject for detailed scrutiny, just two points may quickly be Not even in this day and age does the RSS deny made, since these relate intimately to the that Gandhi was not one of its favourite people. concerns of the present article. One, that As to Nathuram Godse its denial of his whereas Left-wing politics seeks consistently to membership of the RSS was staunch till Curran expand and enrich democracy, Right-wing politics (1950-51) revealed that fact in his otherwise invariably seeks to restrict the grounds of sympathetic book; this despite the fact that legitimacy. Secondly, and one speaks here of the Godse had himself said in his trial that “I have modern Indian experience, whereas Indian worked for several years in the RSS.” The current revolutionaries have always owned up to their posture of the RSS is that Godse had given up his deeds, Indian fascists, led by the RSS, have membership long before the Gandhi murder. invariably taken recourse to subterfuge and denial in matters wherein their role brings them The point is, where are the records? What we do widespread disgrace. know is from Gopal Godse, Nathuram’s co- convicted brother. Speaking of his brothers’ last Of the latter, the circumstances of Bapu’s murder moments before the hanging, Gopal Godse avers: provide the most telling instance. The denial of on reaching the platform he cited a verse of the RSS here is particularly mean, being often a devotion to the Motherland; the verse in question suitably calibrated one. was as follows:

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Obvious question: if the RSS had nothing to do Namaste sadaa vatsale matribhume with the event of that evil Friday how does one Tvya hindubhume sukhamvardite hum, explain what is said in the cited letter? Mahamangle puney bhume tvdharthe Patitvesh kaayaa namaste namaste. CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE

Des Raj Goyal, a one-time swayamsevak, tells us If all that is not ‘evidence’ what were the in his book, RSS (1979) that the above comprises circumstances of the moment? the opening verse of the RSS prayer sung in every shakha. Goyal then provides two all-important The RSS relies heavily on Patel’s letter of February facts bearing on this prayer: one, that “outsiders 27, 1948 in which he intimates Nehru that the RSS are not acquainted with it”; and, two, that at the was not involved; rather, it was an extremist wing time of Godse’s acknowledged membership of of the Hindu Mahasabha. But what did Patel have the RSS (1930-34) “this prayer was not sung even to say to two other people—S P Mukerjee and in the RSS” and that “the Sanskrit prayer, of which “Brother Sri Golwalker”? To the former he wrote this verse forms a part, was adopted only in (letter dated. July 18,’1948): 1940” (Goyal, 142). How then did Nathuram recite the above prayer as a sort of epitaph to his “As regards the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha, despicable life? In fact, the clinching evidence of the case relating to Gandhi Ji’s murder is sub Nathuram’s membership of the RSS has also judice and I should not like to say anything about come from Gopal Godse, his brother in his book the participation of the two organisations, but our Why I Assassinated Mahatma Gandhi (1993) reports do confirm that, as a result of the wherein he says unambiguously: “He (Nathuram) activities of these two bodies, particularly the has said in his statement that he left the RSS. He former, an atmosphere was created in the country said it because Golwalker and the RSS were in a in which such a ghastly tragedy became lot of trouble after the murder of Gandhi. But he possible….The activities of the RSS constituted a did not leave the RSS.” In the same book he also clear threat to the existence of government and characterises Advani’s denial of Nathuram’s the state….Indeed, as time has marched on, the membership of the RSS at the time of the murder RSS circles are becoming more defiant and are as “cowardice.” indulging in their subversive activities in an increasing measure.” Consider the further detail supplied by Pyarelal in his biography of the Mahatma (The Last Phase, In writing to “Brother Sri Golwalker” on Sept 11,’1948 756): “A letter which Sardar Patel received after Patel, while acknowledging that “the RSS did service to the Hindu Society,” laments that the “objectionable the assassination from a young man, who part arose when they. . . began attacking according to his own statement had been gulled Mussalmans” (referring to RSS workers). More into joining the RSS organisation but was later explicitly: disillusioned, described how members of the RSS at some places had been instructed beforehand “All their speeches were full of communal poison. . . As to tune in their radio sets on the fateful Friday for a result of the poison, the country had to suffer the the ‘good news.’ After the news sweets were sacrifice of the invaluable life of Gandhiji…In fact distributed in RSS circles at several places, opposition (to the RSS) grew. . . when the RSS men including Delhi.” expressed joy and distributed sweets after Gandhiji’s death.”

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GODSE/SAVARKAR CONNECTION Hindu/Fascist camp. The bone of contention between What of the Godse/Savarkar connection? First, let us this camp and the Congress movement led by Gandhi recall what Curran tells us—that Savarkar did not comprised conceptualising the defining features of leave the RSS because he thought it was deviating Independent India. The Mahasabha/RSS view was from the mainlines of Hindu/fascist ideology; Curran nowhere more identical than in this. One only has to writes of Hedgewar’s tour in Maharashtra in 1932: read how Savarkar (1938, Nagpur session) and “One of his advisers on this tour was Nathuram Golwalker (in We, Our Nationhood Defined, 1938) Godse…Godse had joined the RSS in 1930 winning spoke to this issue. prominence as a speaker and organiser; he left the Sangh in 1934 because Hedgewar refused to make the Savarkar: “The original political sin, which our Hindu RSS a political organisation”(Curran, Militant Congressites. . . committed at the beginning of the Hinduism, 18-19). Indian National Congress movement and are persistingly committing still of running after the Making too much of the separation between the mirage of a territorial Indian Nation and of seeking to Hindu Mahasabha and the RSS, therefore, can only be kill. . . the life growth of an organic Hindu Nation. . . . a technical nicety. In fact we know that Savarkar’s We Hindus are a Nation by ourselves because brother, Babu Rao Savarkar, had merged his Tarun religious, racial, cultural, and historical affinities bind Hindu Mahasabha with the RSS. us intimately into a homogenous nation”.

Enough is known about Savarkar’s role in the murder. Golwalker: “The idea was spread that for the first time Digambar Badge, the approver in the trial of 1949 the people were going to live a national life, the (Red Fort) before Justice Atma Charan, was to refer to Nation in the land naturally was composed of all those the meeting at Savarkar’s home on January 17, ’1948 who happened to reside therein and that all these where the latter was to say to the conspirators people were to unite on a common ‘National’ platform “Yashasvi houn ya” ergo “Be successful and come and win back ‘freedom’ by ‘Constitutional means.’ back.” Wrong notions of democracy strengthened the view and we began to class ourselves with our old invaders And the Justice Jivan Lal Kapur Commission which and foes under the outlandish name—Indian—and revisited the Gandhi murder in 1966, although again tried to win them over to join hands with us in our obliged to exonerate Savarkar for want of struggle. The result of this poison is well known….with corroborative evidence in support of the approver’s our own hands are undermining true Nationality.” confession, was, like Galileo at the stake, obliged nonetheless to remark that the facts taken together Again: “All those not belonging to the national, i.e., were “destructive of any theory other than the Hindu race, religion, culture and language, naturally conspiracy to murder by Savarkar and his fall out of the pale of real ‘National’ life. We repeat: in group”(which included Godse). And when Patel refers Hindusthan, the land of the Hindus, lives and should to the role of the “fanatical wing of the Hindu live the Hindu Nation—satisfying all the five essential Mahsabha” in his letter to Nehru (February 27,’1948) requirements of the scientific nation concept of the without mentioning Savarkar, we know what he was modern world.” talking about. Thus all the way from Savarkar, through Golwalker, The point is, look where you will and the Deoras and the current day ‘cultural nationalists’ the differentiations sought to be made between the Hindu Nation is conceived of not as a bounded territory but Mahasabha and the RSS in the context of the Gandhi as a racial/religious construct. Gandhi’s fault it was murder are no more than self-serving sleights-of- that he said any ‘swaraj will be incomplete without hand. Gandhi’s elimination was clearly perceived as a Hindu-Muslim unity.” He paid the price. ‘nationalist’ requirement by the combined ****

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3. No discussion on who killed Mahatma Gandhi is complete without addressing idea of a Hindu Rashtra

By Teesta Setalvad Jul 28, 2016

Scroll did a disservice by being carelessly selective in its recent article, says the activist lawyer.

The murder of Mahatma Gandhi, or more culture and inclusive nationhood advocated by dramatically put, the assassination of Mahatma the Mahatma. Gandhi was the first act of terror committed in independent India, as I wrote in the introduction It is this ideology that unashamedly rules India to the volume, Beyond Doubt-A Dossier on today. Gandhi’s Assassination (2015, Tulika). It was also, I wrote; a declaration of war and a statement of Any discussion on the assassination, therefore, intent. needs to address the issues around the killing, the motives of the assassins. It should also examine It was a declaration of war by a section of society further why Gandhi and what he stood for posed which remained largely on the fringes during the such a dire threat to the worldview of the killers. independence struggle and was committed to religion-based nationhood, and wanted India to Whenever the murder is discussed, and the become a Hindu rashtra. This was a section that factors responsible for the killing tossed around, bore visceral dislike toward the idea of composite public memory can often become carelessly selective, unwarrantedly perhaps spawning a Page | 18 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

dangerous ambivalence. I refer here specifically English the seminal work of senior journalist and to the July 21 article that deliberately or writer Jagan Phadnis who researched the killing otherwise skips crucial bits of the event. There back in 1998 as also the important contribution of are also several inaccuracies in the report that has Chunibhai Vaidya from Gujarat. These works carelessly quoted from earlier published articles. along with historian YD Phadke’s analysis of the Kapoor Commission Report published Setting the record straight in Communalism Combat are crucial reading for serious readers on the subject, and are included in the volume. There is need to set the record straight. The killing of Gandhi was not an isolated act but the last successful one of a series of attempts that That the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was began as early as 1934. Since the first attack on banned by the government of India within two June 25 1934, there had been a total of five days of the assassination, through a Government attempts on Gandhi’s life: in July and September Resolution dated February 2, 1948, is surely a 1944, September 1946, and January 20, 1948, ten critical part of the narrative, which is absent in its days before he was actually shot dead. recounting 68 years later. The language of this resolution, reproduced in Beyond Doubt, is unequivocal when it speaks of the determination Nathuram Godse was involved in two of the of the government of India previous attempts besides the last one – that is, in a total of three, completely upsetting the comfortable narrative of Godse’s actions not “to root out the forces of hate and violence that being pre-meditated and coldly and carefully are at work in our country and imperil the planned. freedom of the Nation and darken her fair name. In pursuance of this politics [the GR says] the GOI has decided to declare as unlawful the Rashtriya This aspect is completely missing from the article Swayamsevak Sangh in the Chief Commissioner’s that fails to ask (while superficially relying on a Provinces. Similar action is also being taken in the sinister justification for the killing that Godse’s Governor’s provinces.” belief that “Gandhi helped create Pakistan” was the reason behind the killing) why some groups of persons found Gandhi and his beliefs so The banning of the RSS within five months of thoroughly repugnant that they had to eliminate India becoming independent and within two days him. of the dastardly killing of Mahatma Gandhi has been linked to the ‘undesirable and even dangerous activities carried out by individual It was Gandhi’s commitment to composite members of the Sangh who have indulged in acts nationhood as opposed to a religion-based state of violence involving arson, robbery, dacoity and (Pakistan or Hindu Rashtra) and his support for murder and have collected illicit arms and the law against untouchability (he made a historic ammunition. They have been found, “circulating speech in the Central legislature in 1935) that leaflets exhorting people to resort to terrorist made him enemy No 1 for all those who dreamt methods, to collect firearms, to create then – and conspire even today – to convert India disaffection against the government and suborn into a Hindu Rashtra. the police and the military….The objectionable and harmful activities of the Sangh have, One of the crucial reasons for editing the however, continued unabated and the cult of volume Beyond Doubt was to bring to readers in Page | 19 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

violence sponsored and inspired by the activities final result of the poison, the country had to of the Sangh has claimed many victims. The latest suffer the sacrifice of the valuable life of Gandhiji. and the most precious to fall was Gandhiji Even an iota of sympathy of the Government or himself.” The GR was first published in the August of the people no more remained for the RSS. In 2004 issue of Communalism Combat, as part of fact the opposition grew. Opposition turned more the cover story, titled Hey Ram. severe, when the RSS men expressed joy and distributed sweets after Gandhiji’s death. Under Ban and lifting the ban these conditions it became inevitable for the Government to take action against the RSS.” The story does not end here. The communications between the Government of India through then A government of India press note of November Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Home 14, 1948 relates to the outright rejection of a Minister Vallabhai Patel with the RSS also show representation by Golwalkar to lift the ban on the up the falsehoods perpetrated by the Sangh, RSS by the Home Ministry, refers to the "anti- which has tried to distort even this part of history. national, often subversive and violent activities of the RSS”. On September 11, 1948, the famous letter written by Patel to RSS chief MS Golwalkar This press note, also obtained from the archives strongly decries the systematic hate tactics of the of the government of India, was first published in Sangh before and after Gandhi’s assassination. the August 2004 issue of Communalism This letter has been quoted in full in Desraj Combat, as part of the cover story, titled Hey Goyal’s Rahstriya Swayamsevak Sangh (First Ram. published in 1979, Revised edition in 2000, Radhakrishna Prakashan Pvt Ltd, New Delhi). The government of India took into account the considered opinion of provincial governments More importantly, this and another letter written before arriving at its decision to ban the RSS. An by Patel to the founder of the Bharatiya Jana article of The Indian Express dated February 7, Sangh Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee dated July 1948 reports that an RSS leader from Nagpur who 18, 1948 make clear the links between the RSS had presented Godse with the revolver with and the Hindu Mahasabha. which he killed Gandhi had been arrested. Other persons arrested included Professor Varahadpande of the City College, Nagpur. The September 11, 1948 letter is of particular significance as it outlines the kind of activities the RSS was observed to indulge in. This news report states that another professor of Nagpur had told his students a day before the assassination that “Gandhiji would be murdered”. “But the objectionable part arose when they, An associate of the gang of conspirators, burning with revenge, began attacking Devendra Kumar, was reported by the same Mussalmans. Organising Hindus and helping them newspaper to have surrendered to the District is one thing but going in for revenge for its Magistrate, Mirzapur and taken to Lucknow sufferings on innocent and helpless men, women under armed escort. and children is quite another thing……..All their speeches were full communal poison. It was not necessary to spread poison and enthuse the There is more such material which forms part of Hindus and organise for their protection. As a the annexes to the Kapoor Commission which will Page | 20 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

form part of the second volume of Beyond of Thoughts, which is proudly available on the RSS Doubt that I am currently annotating and editing. website even today (for example, see Page 119). For the record, towards the end of the judgement in the Gandhi Murder case, Special Judge Despite its assurances to the government of India, Atmacharan made the following remarks in the Indian tricolour remained anathema to the regards to the conduct of the police with relation Sangh for 52 years after India became to the bomb attack on Gandhi on January 20, independent. It was only on January 26, 2002, barely ten days before the day he died. that the RSS hoisted the tricolour on its headquarters. Until then it was always “ I may bring to the notice of the Central the bhagwa dhwaj,representing the Hindu nation. Government the slackness of the police in the investigation of the case during the period In fact, the English organ of the between January 20-30,1948... Had the slightest RSS, Organiser (dated August 14, 1947) carried a keenness been shown in the investigation of the feature titled “Mystery behind the bhagwa case at that stage, the tragedy could have been dhawaj” which, while demanding hoisting of the averted.” saffron flag at the ramparts of Red Fort in Delhi, openly denigrated the choice of the Tri-colour as The terms of reference to the Kapoor Commission the National Flag in the following words: clearly show that it was not within its ambit to investigate whether or not the RSS was involved “The people who have come to power by the kick in the murder. It would be pertinent to again of fate may give in our hands the Tricolour but it quote from the Government communiqué dated never be respected and owned by Hindus. The 11 July, 1949 provided in Appendix IV to Desraj word three is in itself an evil, and a flag having Goyal’sRahstriya Swayamsevak Sangh which laid three colours will certainly produce a very bad down the conditions for lifting the ban on the psychological effect and is injurious to a country.” RSS. It became even more brazen once the first RSS- “The RSS leader has undertaken to make the driven government in New Delhi under Atal loyalty to the Union Constitution and respect for Behari Vajpayee came into power as the the National Flag more explicit in the Constitution organisation’s mouthpiece Organiser proudly of the RSS and to provide clearly that persons advertised the books published by Surya Bharati believing or resorting to violent and secret Prakashan, Gandhi Ji’s Murder and After by co- methods will have no place in the Sangh..” accused and brother of the assassin, Gopal Godse, as also May It Please Your Honour,by Among other conditions was that the RSS would Nathuram Godse. function only as a cultural organisation. Both the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha have Hindu rashtra made money by glamourising the killer of Gandhi and claimed proud privilege for the reasons for A genuine understanding of the motivations the killing. behind the ideology that killed Gandhi cannot skirt around the fundamental issue of religion- The crux of the issue for the Sangh and those who based nationhood. The contempt for the Indian have opposed its supremacist ideology has always Constitution is writ large in MS Golwalkar’s Bunch been about who has or has not the right to equal Page | 21 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

rights and citizenship in the India of today. On this forces were responsible for the murder of the issue Gandhi and the RSS stood on the extreme Mahatma. opposites ends of the spectrum. Not only can no one deny this, but it is this crucial issue that Teesta Setalvad is co-editor, Sabrangindia. remains central to the debate around which ***

4. Who Killed Gandhi?

By Tushar A. Gandhi

Nathuram Godse shot Bapu thrice and killed him. cars. Three weeks went by when no news of raids But this chronic failure was incapable of on the Nizam were reported, Dixit Maharaj came succeeding without the support of an looking for his car, he found Apte romancing his organisation and its fanatic cadre. The accused girl friend in the car he had borrowed for the raid. enjoyed country wide support, easy and unlimited Next the duo came up with a proposal to blow up funds and supplies. This could not have been the Pak Assembly with a mortar. They secured possible without organisational involvement. Savarkar's blessings and collected funds, but did There were two organisations with whom all the not deliver. When news came that two special accused were closely associated, RSS and Hindu trains carrying weapons arms and ammunitions, Mahasabha. For some strange reason despite Pakistan's share, would travel to Pakistan. The clues and confessions these two organisations duo sold a scheme of blowing up both the trains were never investigated. Why? We will never using bazookas. This time too, no action. know. Then they decided to buy a Stengun and use it to Godse and Apte were known to boast and brag, strafe fleeing Muslims. They abandoned it after but were not known to deliver. To impress not being able to even cock it. The final scheme Savarkar they used to brag about various schemes they attempted to sell was to set up a supply to attack Muslims, Nizam of Hyderabad and chain of arms and ammunitions to fight the Muslim League. Their modus operandi was to Kabalis invading Kashmir, they planned to recruit seek Savarkar's blessings for their schemes and and train young Hindu fighters to fight the Kabalis then seek finance and support from members of invading Kashmir, but by now their backers had RSS, Hindu Mahasabha and staunch Savarkarites. lost faith in them. One of the first scheme they sold was a plan to There was a link between all the failed attempts raid revenue agencies of the Hyderabad Nizam on Bapu's life and his murder. There were five close to its border with the Bombay Province. For known attempts on Bapu's life, which failed. In this they collected funds, then they approached each one of them the common factor was Poona, Dixit Maharaj and asked him for one of his large

Page | 22 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

Godse, Apte and RSS and Hindu Mahasabha prayers and the murder happened as an eruption members. Accept for the last one, all happened of spontaneous fury against his obduracy. Godse prior to independence and were not investigated. and Apte did not have the capability to sustain The first on 25th June 1934, Poona; second July such a long term campaign, the RSS did. 1944, Panchgani; third September, 1944, Till two days before Bapu was murdered, Godse Sevagram; fourth, 19th June, 1946, Somewhere in did not possess a gun. Miraculously on 28th the Western Ghats between Karjat and Khandala; January 1948, Godse and Apte procured one of and fifth on 20th January, 1948, Birla House, New the best pistols of that time from Gwalior. The Delhi. All failed, accept in the first and fourth most efficient, a favourite of close range killers, where no one was caught and none were fully loaded, 'Fascist Special' Beretta 9 mm Semi- investigated, in the three others Apte, Godse and Automatic. Parchure of Gwalior, was arrested for the participation of RSS and Hindu Mahasabha helping them procure the gun, he confessed members was reported. everything. But in the High Court appeal, a clever What is chilling is that unlike popular perception defence lawyer got him acquitted citing a that Godse took advantage of an opportunity to procedural lapse in his arrest. What is shocking is murdered Bapu, Bapu's murder was methodically that, how Godse acquired the gun and where it planned and although the attempts failed, finally came from was never investigated. They could it was these preparations which helped chronic not have procured the gun without the help of a failures, Godse and Apte, succeed. pan national organisation. RSS was a pan national organisation with a fanatically loyal cadre who Since 1946, after the Direct Action Day killings were willing to abide by 'Aadesh', orders from and the retaliatory massacres in its wake, headquarters. whenever Bapu was in Delhi and he conducted his public multi faith evening prayers, every time the No courts or inquiry commissions ever absolved Aayats from the Koran were read, people would RSS from involvement in the Gandhi murder, they raise up and protest. The protests turned could not because they were not asked to pass progressively severe and aggressive. Apte and judgement on them. Godse had even boasted about carrying out one The fact remains that although on 30th January very aggressive protest at the Sweeper's Colony, 1948 at 5:17 pm Nathuram Godse did pump 3 'We sacred him off' they had boasted in Poona. bullets into Bapu's chest from point blank range The last failed attempt and when Nathuram and murdered him, the loaded gun was put in his eventually murdered Bapu were both at the time hands by his patrons and supportive of his evening prayers. The plan was to create an organisations, and the Aadesh, order came from impression to convey that people were angry them too. with Bapu for his insistence on reciting Islamic

***

Page | 23 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

5. RSS & Murder of Mahatma Gandhi: What do contemporary documents tell?

By Shamsul Islam, The Milli Gazette Published Online: Mar 17, 2011

After the murder of Mahatma Gandhi on January ammunition. They have been found circulating 30, 1948, the RSS was banned on February 4, leaflets exhorting people to resort to terrorist 1948. It was banned for anti-national activities methods, to collect firearms, to create and the government communiqué banning the disaffection against the government and suborn RSS was self-explanatory: "In their resolution of the police and the military." [Ibid, pp. 65-66.] February 2, 1948 the Government of India declared their determination to root out the It is well-known that the then Home Minister, forces of hate and violence that are at work in our Sardar Patel, had a soft-corner for the RSS and country and imperil the freedom of the Nation continues to be a favourite with the RSS. However and darken her fair name. In pursuance of this even Sardar Patel found it difficult to defend the policy the Government of India have decided to RSS in the aftermath of Gandhiji's assassination. declare unlawful the RSS." [Cited in Justice on In a letter written to the head of the RSS, Trial, RSS, Bangalore, 1962, p. 64.] Golwalkar, dated 11 September 1948, Sardar Patel stated: The communiqué went on to disclose that the ban on the RSS was imposed because, "Organizing the Hindus and helping them is one "undesirable and even dangerous activities have thing but going in for revenge for its sufferings on been carried on by members of the Sangh. It has innocent and helpless men, women and children been found that in several parts of the country is quite another thing…Apart from this, their individual members of the RSS have indulged in opposition to the Congress, that too of such acts of violence involving arson, robbery, dacoity, virulence, disregarding all considerations of and murder and have collected illicit arms and personality, decency or decorum, created a kind Page | 24 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

of unrest among the people. All their speeches "As regards the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha, were full of communal poison. It was not the case relating to Gandhiji's murder is sub necessary to spread poison in order to enthuse judice and I should not like to say anything about the Hindus and organize for their protection. As a the participation of the two organizations, but our final result of the poison, the country had to reports do confirm that, as a result of the suffer the sacrifice of the invaluable life of activities of these two bodies, particularly the Gandhiji. Even an iota of the sympathy of the former, an atmosphere was created in the Government, or of the people, no more remained country in which such a ghastly tragedy became for the RSS. In fact opposition grew. Opposition possible. There is no doubt in my mind that the turned more severe, when the RSS men extreme section of the Hindu Mahasabha was expressed joy and distributed sweets after involved in the conspiracy. Gandhiji's death. Under these conditions it became inevitable for the Government to take The activities of the RSS constituted a clear threat action against the RSS…Since then, over six to the existence of Government and the State. months have elapsed. We had hoped that after Our reports show that those activities, despite this lapse of time, with full and proper the ban, have not died down. Indeed, as time has consideration the RSS persons would come to the marched on, the RSS circles are becoming more right path. But from the reports that come to me, defiant and are indulging in their subversive it is evident that attempts to put fresh life into activities in an increasing measure." [Letter 64 in their same old activities are afoot." [Ibid, pp. 26- Sardar Patel: Select Correspondence 1945-1950, 28.] Volume 2, Navjiwan Publishing House, Ahmedabad, 1977, pp. 276-277.] Hindu Mahasabha and RSS were jointly responsible for the murder of Father of Nation, Prof. Shamsul Islam teaches political science in Mahatma Gandhi, this fact was further Satyawati College, Delhi University and may be corroborated by Sardar Patel in a letter to a reached at notoinjustice[@]gmail[.]com prominent leader of Hindu Mahasabha, Shyama Prasad Mookerjee on July 18, 1948. Sardar wrote: This article appeared in The Milli Gazette print issue of 16-28 February 2011 on page no. 8 *** 6. The First Terrorist of Independent India

By Subhash Gatade http://www.countercurrents.org/gatade171113.htm Countercurrents.org ,17 November, 2013

...Government have, however, noticed with “Undesirable and even dangerous activities have regret that in practice members of Rashtriya been carried on by the members of the Sangh. It Swayamsewak Sangh have not adhered to their has been found that in several parts of the professed ideals. country individual members of the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh have indulged in acts of Page | 25 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

violence involving arson, robbery, dacoity and The world at large knows how the Hindu fanatics murder and have collected illicit arms and had planned the murder of the Mahatma and ammunitions. They have been found circulating how the likes of Savarkar and Golwalkar, the leaflets, exhorting people to resort to terrorist second Supremo of RSS could be held to be methods, to collect firearms, to create responsible for creating the ambience of hate disaffection against the government and suborn which culminated in the gruesome act. Sardar the police and military.” Patel’s letter to Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, who was then member Hindu Mahasabha and who (The government communique of February 4, later formed Bharatiya Jansangh with RSS’s 1948, announcing the ban on RSS after Gandhi’s support provides enough details about the assassination) background (18th July, 1948)

On Nathuram Godse, (19th May 1910 - 15th Nov ... our reports do confirm that, as a result of the 1949) Advani asserts that Godse had “severed activities of these two bodies, particularly the links with RSS in 1933… had begun to bitterly former (the RSS), an atmosphere was created in criticise the RSS”. This was flatly contradicted by the country in which such a ghastly tragedy none other than Godse’s brother Gopal, who was (Gandhiji’s assassination) became possible. There also an accused at the trial for conspiracy to is no doubt in my mind that the extreme section murder. He published his book Why I of the Hindu Mahasabha was involved in this Assassinated Mahatma Gandhi in December conspiracy. The activities of the RSS constituted a 1993. Speaking in New Delhi on the occasion of clear threat to the existence of government and the release of his book, Gopal Godse revealed the state. Our reports show that those activities, what many had suspected—they had both been despite the ban, have not died down. Indeed, as active members of the RSS (The Statesman; time has marched on, the RSS circles are December 24, 1993). becoming more defiant and are indulging in their subversive activities in an increasing measure (Ref: Whitewashing Godse is part of the Sangh Parivar’s sordid game, From: Frontline, January If somebody poses before you another simple 26, 2013) query relating to similar episodes in the sixty plus year trajectory of independent India - then what What could be said to be the first act of terrorism would be your response. Perhaps you would like in independent India? to add the death of Indira Gandhi - killed by her Sikh bodyguards , killing of Rajeev Gandhi - who Everybody would agree that killing of Mahatma fell to a suicide attack by a Tamil Hindu woman, Gandhi by a Hindu fanatic Nathuram Godse or for that matter demolition of the 500 year old constitutes the first terrorist act in independent Babri mosque by the marauders of the RSS-VHP- India. Godse, a Maharashtrian Brahmin, hailing BJP-Shiv Sena. If one follows the debate further from Pune was associated with Hindu Mahasabha you would like to underline the 1984 riots ( at the time of Mahatma’s assassination and had actually genocide of Sikhs mainly perpetrated by his initial forays in the world of politics with the Hindu lumpen elements instigated by the then RSS. During his tour of the area Hedgewar, the ruling Congress Party with due connivance of first supremo of RSS, use to be accompanied by Hindutva brigade), emergence of Khalistani Nathuram, the future assassin of Gandhi. Godse terrorists movement or the eight year old Gujarat had in fact joined the RSS in 1930, winning genocide executed with military precision prominence as a speaker and organiser. allegedly by the RSS and its affiliated Page | 26 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

organisations led by one of those Hindu Hriday Perhaps there is no simple answer to this query. Samrats. One will have to delve deep into our past, take a dispassionate look at the anti-colonial struggle Compare all these major episodes in the history and also the tragic phase of partition riots. of Independent india - which encompassed many Simultaneously we will have to discern the a terrorist acts within them - with the mental threads of our present, understand for ourselves image which conjures up in your mind or which the role of different actors as well as the role of finds prominence in the media when one listens ideologies to reach any tentative understanding. to any terrorist act in any part of the country. It is for everyone to see that in a multi-religious, Does it have any resemblance with the image of a multilingual country like ours the complexities of member of the majority community or one of the situation are itself immense. We find those minority communities ? You would agree ourselves in a situation where while that the mental image/projected image has ‘communalism’ of the majority community could features specific to one of the religious minorities be construed as ‘nationalism’, every assertion by in our country. If in the late eighties or early the minority community on genuine demands nineties it would have been the image of a tends to be seen with a ‘communal’ colour. And it turbaned Sikh, the end of first decade of the 21st follows from this that ‘terrorism’ unleashed by century has found its replacement with a bearded the majoritarians is easily disguised under the Muslim. bursting of ‘pent up anger’ against the minorities whereas ‘terrorist acts’ committed by minorities Question naturally arises why is it that despite of different kinds are construed as the biggest their participation in many a gruesome incidents, danger facing the nation. the role played by them in instigating riots (as noted by many a commissions of enquiry) or What follows here is an attempt to move beyond there [their]admission before camera about the the social common sense around ‘terrorism’ planning which went in making a genocide where we are witness to continuous happen (courtesy Tehelka sting operation or the stigmatisation of a particular community for interview given by Keka Shastri to rediff.com) the actions of its lunatic fringe. This is an Hindu fanatic has not become a part of our social understanding which has received a new boost in common sense. Why when someone called the aftermath of 9/11 and the ‘war against terror’ Sadhvi Pragya or Major Purohit or Dayanand unleashed by the US regime, to further its Pandey or for that matter Swami Aseemanand imperialist ambitions. are found to be engaged in conspiring and executing terrorist acts and police decipher their The need of the hour is to understand that certain involvement in similar sinister operations ‘terrorism’ cannot be the monopoly of a earlier as well, we are ready to call them particular community. And it is a product of the ‘exception’ and when a completely innocent typical circumstances which societies encounter Muslim youth is arrested by the police, the media or find themselves in and the nature of the is ready to paint him the real mastermind of few dominant or dominated forces in operation in terrorist acts. Why the slogan coined by one of those societies and their larger worldview. the majoritarian formations ‘All Muslims are not terrorists but all terrorists are Muslim’ does not In this connection the most important lesson, receive broadest possible condemnation which it which should be remembered, is that the law and deserves. order machinery should be even handed in its approach in unearthing the truth behind every

Page | 27 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

terrorist incident or act. It should not repeat its a group of fanatic Hindu youth led by Nathuram earlier folly of stigmatizing the whole community, Godse tried to stop him. Their contention was which it is alleged to have engaged in during last that Gandhi does not travel to Mumbai to hold few years after similar terrorist acts. It should also talks with Jinnah. Nathuram was again found in not be seen going soft on Hindu militant possession of a dagger. formations for fear of providing political capital to Hindutva organizations. The fourth attempt on Gandhi’s life (20 th January 1948) involved roughly the same group namely II Madanlal Pahwa, Shankar Kistaiya, Digambar Badge, Vishnu Karkare, Gopal Godse, Nathuram Very few people know the animosity maintained Godse, and Narayan Apte. The plan was to attack by Hindutva fanatics towards Gandhi which was Mahatma Gandhi and Huseyn Shaheed evident in four attempts on his life before Suhrawardy. In this failed attempt Madanlal Nathuram Godse’s final attempt. (Chunibhai Pahwa placed a cotton ball enclosing a bomb on Vaidya, a leading Gandhian from Gujarat talks the wall behind the podium in Birla Bhavan, about total six attempts. Apart from the details of where Gandhi was staying. The bomb went off various attempts mentioned below he talks about without creating any panic, although Madanlal an attempt on his life in Sept 1946 also.) Pahwa was caught. Other members of the group who were assigned to shoot Gandhi in the The first one happened in Pune (25th June 1934) ensuing melee developed cold feet and did not when Mahatma Gandhi was going to Corporation act. auditorium to deliver a speech. Kasturba Gandhi, his wife was also accompanying him. Incidentally And the last one happened on 30th January at the car in which Gandhis were travelling 5:17 p.m. when Nathuram Godse approached him developed some snag and was delayed whereas and shot him three times in his chest at point the other car which was in their motorcade blank range. All those involved in the crime were reached the venue where a bomb was thrown at arrested and were tried in a court which attracted the car. The explosion caused injuries to some lot of media attention. Nathuram Godse and policemen and ordinary people. Narayan Apte were sentenced to death by the courts and others were awarded life The second attempt on Mahatma Gandhi’s life imprisonment. As far as Savarkar was concerned also involved his future assasin namely Nathuram he was acquitted and set free due to lack of Godse. Gandhi was visiting Panchagani, a hill evidence. It was worth noting that Jawaharlal station near Pune (May 1944) where a young Nehru as well as Gandhi’s two sons, who felt that crowd of 15-20 young people came through a the two men were merely pawns of top Hindutva chartered bus. They organised a daylong protest leaders, demanded commutation of their death demonstration against him but refused to talk sentence as they sincerely felt that executing the when Gandhi invited them. During the prayer assassins would in fact dishonour their father’s meeting in the evening Nathuram rushed towards legacy who was a staunch opponent of death Gandhi with a dagger in his hand where he was penalty. Nathuram Godse as well as the other overpowered by others. conspirator Narayan Apte were hanged at Ambala Jail on November 15, 1949. The third attempt happened when Gandhi’s talks with Jinnah started in Sep 1944. When Gandhi How did the killers of Gandhi tried [try] to was leaving for Mumbai from Sevagram Ashram, rationalise their criminal act. According to them

Page | 28 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

Gandhiji supported the idea of a separate state Look at what L.K. Advani, the then senior leader for Muslims, thus in a sense he was responsible of BJP said: for the creation of Pakistan. Secondly, belligerence of Muslims was a result of Gandhiji's ‘Nathuram Godse was a bitter critic of the policy of appeasement. Thirdly, in spite of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. His charge was Pakistani aggression in Kashmir, Gandhiji fasted that the RSS had made Hindus impotent. We have to compel the government of India to release an had nothing to do with Godse. The Congress is in amount of Rs. 55 crores due to Pakistan. the habit of reviving this allegation against us when it finds nothing else.’ (The Times of India, Anyone familiar with that period of history can November 22, 1993) decipher that all these allegations are malicious and factually incorrect also. In fact, the idea of As everybody knows people closely associated communal amity which Gandhi upheld all his life with Nathuram Godse, who themselves were was a complete anathema to the exclusivist, party to the conspiracy to kill Gandhi, have a Hindu Supremacist world view of the members of different take on the whole relation. In his book RSS, Hindu Mahasabha. And while nation was a ‘Why I Assassinated Mahatma Gandhi’ (1993) racial/religious construct in the imagination of the Gopal Godse says unambiguously: “He Hindutva forces, for Gandhi and rest of the (Nathuram) has said in his statement that he left nationalists it was a territorial construct or a the RSS. He said it because Golwalkar and the RSS bounded territory comprising of different were in a lot of trouble after the murder of communities, collectivities living there. Gandhi. But he did not leave the RSS.” In the same book he also characterises Advani’s denial And looking at the fourteen year old history of of Nathuram’s membership of the RSS at the time unsuccessful attempts on his life, it becomes clear of the murder as “cowardice.” that the conspiracy to eliminate Gandhiji was conceived much earlier than the successful In an interview to ‘Frontline’ (January 28, 1994, accomplishment thereof. The grounds advanced Interview by Arvind Rajgopal) Gopal Godse for such a heinous crime could be seen as clever repeats what he had to say: rationalisation to hoodwink the gullible. Q. Were you a part of the RSS III A. All the brothers were in the RSS. Nathuram, The issue of Nathuram Godse’s connections with Dattaaatreya, myself and Govind. You can say we RSS (if any) still remains far from settled. In fact, grew up in the RSS rather in our homes. It was any discussion on Mahatma Gandhi’s like a family to us. assassination has always led RSS and its affiliated organisations to adopt a very ambivalent stand Q. Nathuram stayed in the RSS? He did not leave vis-a-vis Nathuram Godse and his team. On the it? one hand they are found to be making extra efforts to exhibit that neither of them have had A. Nathuram had become a baudhik karyavah any association with him at least at the time of (intellectual worker) in the RSS. He said in his murder. Of course they have not forgotten to statement that he left the RSS. He said it because argue that one needs to understand the Golwalkar and the RSS were in a lot of trouble frustration felt by people over Gandhi’s actions. after the murder of Gandhi. But he did not leave the RSS.

Page | 29 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

Q. Advani has recently said that Nathuram had and his other collobrators strategy definitely nothing to do with RSS. saved Savarkar from getting convicted in the assassination case despite playing a key role in A. I have countered him, saying it is cowardice to the conspiracy (as later enquiries revealed). say that. You can say that RSS did not pass a resolution, saying that, ‘go and assassinate In fact, the trial judge in the case Atma Charan Gandhi.’ But you do not disown him (Nathuram). had framed the first charge against all eight The Hindu Mahasabha did not disown him. accused, including Savarkar, that they had conspired to commit Gandhi's murder. Curiously, In 1944 Nathuram started doing Hindu Mahsabha he convicted all others but let off Savarkar on the work when he had been a baudhik karyavah in technical ground that there was no corroborative the RSS. proof to confirm approver Digambar Badge's evidence who became prosecution’s key witness. Discussing his brothers’ last moments before the Yet, the trial judge found Badge to be a hanging, Gopal Godse tells us in his above trustworthy witness. mentioned book: on reaching the platform he cited a verse of devotion to the Motherland; the Badge happened to be a Hindu Mahasabha verse in question was as follows: worker who had supplied the gun cotton slab to Godse and others and which was used by Namaste sadaa vatsale matribhume Madanlal. He told the court many important facts about Savarkar's involvement in the assassination Tvya hindubhume sukhamvardite hum, plot. According to a report in ‘Outlook’ (‘The Mastermind ?’, Rajesh Ramchandran, 6 Sep 2004) Mahamangle puney bhume tvdharthe which discusses snippets from the National archives to see if RSS icon (namely Savarkar) had Patitvesh kaayaa namaste namaste. any role in Gandhi’s assassination or not.

Anyone who has closely watched the daily routine Badge told the police about the motive of the at the RSS Shakha s/he would reveal that the assassins. "Apte asked whether I was willing to above comprises the opening verse of the RSS accompany them to Delhi. I enquired for what prayer sung in every shakha. purpose, whereupon Apte said that 'Tatyarao' meaning Savarkar decided that Gandhiji, IV Jawaharlal Nehru and Suhrawardhy should be finished and that this work had been entrusted to “Yashasvi hohun ya (Be successful and return)." them."

—V.D. Savarkar's parting shot, quoted in police ..."I was asked to remain downstairs .. and both of records, to Gandhi assassin Nathuram Godse and them, i.e., Apte and Godse went upstairs to take co-conspirator Narayan Dattatreya Apte darshan of Savarkar. After five or 10 minutes, they both came down and as they were getting It is on record that in his deposition before the down the stairs, Savarkar followed them down court in the Gandhi murder case, Nathuram the stairs and said to them 'Yeshasvi hohun ya (be Godse was conscious to distance himself from RSS successful and return)'. On the way back from as well as from Savarkar. It is a different matter Savarkar, Sadan Apte told Badge that, 'Tatyarao that archival records show that Godse worked closely with Savarkar since 1935. The assassin’s Page | 30 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

had predicted that Gandhiji's 100 years were Kapur commission also examined Savarkar's role over.... ' in the assassination. As things had unfolded in the trial court of Atma Charan, Godse had claimed full It is worth noting that DCP Jamshed Nagarvala of responsibility for planning and carrying out the the Bombay Presidency, who was asked by attack, in absence of an independent Morarji Desai, then Bombay’s home minister to corroboration of the prosecution witness. Here put a close watch on Savarkar’s house and his Badge’s testimony was not accepted as it lacked movements after the bomb incident on 20th lacked independent corroboration. This was later January involving Madanlal Pahwa, clearly corroborated by the testimony of two of explains the reasons behind this action in his Savarkar's close aides - Appa Ramachandra Kasar, crime report : “"The source informed that it was his bodyguard, and Gajanan Vishnu Damle, his at the direct instigation and instance of Savarkar secretary, who had not testified in the original that this conspiracy was hatched and plan trial but later testified before the Justice Kapur prepared to take the life of Mahatmaji, and his commission set up in 1965. Kasar told the Kapur pretense to be ill and out of politics was a mere Commission that they visited him on or about cover.... Hence it was decided to immediately put January 23 or 24, which was when they returned a watch on the house of Savarkar." And when from Delhi after the bomb incident. Damle Savarkar’s lawyer questioned this move by the deposed that Godse and Apte saw Savarkar in the police in the trial court and asked the home middle of January and sat with him (Savarkar) in minister to respond, Morarji Desai is reported to his garden. Justice Kapur concluded: "All these have countered: “Shall I give my reasons? It is for facts taken together were destructive of any Savarkar to decide whether I should answer. I am theory other than the conspiracy to murder by prepared to give my reasons.” Upon this. Savarkar and his group.” Savarkar’s lawyer said: “I withdraw my question.” (See J.C.Jain, The Murder of Mahatma Gandhi: Postscript: It is not generally known that the day Prelude and Aftermath, Chetna Ltd, Bombay, Godse died – 15 th November – is celebrated by 1961, p.104) Hindutva fanatics as ‘martyrdom’ day in different parts of the country. In parts of western India, Exactly sixteen years after Gandhi’s assassination such programmes are organised publicly. A play a public furore forced the then government to on the life of Nathuram – Me Nathuram Boltoy (I take a fresh look at the conspiracy and also to Nathuram Speak) which looks at those events look into the fact that whether there was any from the perspective of a Hindutva fanatic runs deliberate dereliction of duty on the part of into packed houses in Maharashtra. people in high authority or not. It got precipitated after a public programme was organised in Pune Time to remember that Godse might be dead but to celebrate the release of the conspirators from the danger of Godse’s worldview gaining further jail after the expiry of their sentences (12th Nov legitimacy exists. 1964) and where some of the speakers revealed that they had they had prior information about Subhash Gatade is the author of Pahad Se Uncha the murder. Under pressure of 29 members of Aadmi (2010) Godse's Children: Hindutva Terror parliament and public opinion the then Union in India,(2011) and The Saffron Condition: The home minister Gulzarilal Nanda, constituted a Politics of Repression and Exclusion in Neoliberal commission led by Jeevanlal Kapur, a retired India(2011). He is also the Convener of New judge of the Supreme Court, to conduct the Socialist Initiative (NSI) inquiry. Email: [email protected] Page | 31 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

7. Gandhi Murder and Role of RSS: Debate Continues

By Ram Puniyani

Last week (March 2014) Rahul Gandhi in an murder have not been debated, the underlying election campaign meeting said that ‘RSS people cause of contrasting Nationalisms is not brought killed Gandhiji and today their people and BJP talk to the fore in most of the debates. Today it is of him…They opposed Sardar Patel and Gandhiji.” necessary not only to unearth the incident of In a reaction to his statement RSS has lodged a Gandhi murder but it is also imperative to complaint with election commission. This is not understand that Gandhi murder had deeper the first time that Rahul Gandhi has made such a ideological underpinnings, those related to two statement; on an earlier occasion also he had notions of Nationalism, the one Indian made similar statement. What is the truth of Nationalism, which Gandhi espoused and strived Gandhi murder; did RSS as an organization had for and other the Hindu Nationalism, the any role in it? Were members of RSS involved in nationalism pursued by Godse, Gandhi’s it? What was the reaction of RSS followers in the murderer. Incidentally the current Prime wake of Gandhi murder? What was the response Ministerial candidate of BJP, the political wing of of Sardar Patel, the then Home minister in Union RSS, is also boasting about his nationalism being Cabinet to this ghastly murder? Hindu, so the matters become all the more relevant in the current political context. These have been the subject matters of many books, films and plays, apart from myriad of After the murder of Mahatma, the official RSS line books and articles. While the incident, the had been that we have nothing to do with Godse; commissions of inquiry and the judgment are neither is he a member of RSS. They could get there for all to see, the deeper causes of Gandhi away with this as there was no official record of Page | 32 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

members of RSS, and they could disown Godse at Hindu communalists were spewing poison against legal level. As such Godse joined RSS in 1930 and Gandhi, it was logical outcome of their very soon rose to be its bauddhik pracharak politics. They used the word wadh for this (intellectual propagator), “Having worked for the murder; this word stands for killing a demon who uplift of the Hindus I felt it necessary to take part is harming the society. In a way Gandhi murder in political activities of the country for the was the first major offensive of the Hindutva protection of just rights of Hindus. I therefore left politics on Indian Nationalism, in a way it was to the Sangh (RSS) and joined Hindu Mahasabha herald the onset of bigger dangers which (Godse, ‘Why I Assassinated Mahatma Gandhi’ Hindutva politics has assumed today. 1993, and Pg. 102). He held Mahatma responsible for appeasing Muslims, and thereby Contrary to the claims of Godse that it was only the formation of Pakistan. He joined Hindu his planning, the commissions of inquiry have Mahasabha, at that time the only political party stated that it was a conspiracy by various of Hindutva, and became general secretary of its followers of Hindu Mahsabha-RSS ideology, who Pune Branch. In due course he started a planned to kill the Mahatma as he, a Hindu, was a newspaper, as founder editor, called Agrani or big obstacle to turn this country in to a Hindu Hindu Rashtra. nation. Sardar Patel wrote that it was a fanatical wing of the Hindu Mahasabha directly under In an interview given to ‘The Times of India’ (25 Savarkar that hatched the conspiracy and saw it Jan 98) Nathuram’s brother Gopal Godse, who through,…of course his assassination was was also an accomplice in the murder, elaborates welcomed by those of the RSS and Hindu the apparent reasons and Nathuram’s RSS Mahasabha who were strongly opposed to his membership. “The appeasement policy followed way of thinking and to his policy…” (Sardar Patel by him (Gandhi) and imposed on all Congress Quoted in Justice Kapoor report Chapter I page governments’ encouraged the Muslim separatist 43). Justice Jivan Lal Kapoor himself concluded tendencies that eventually created Pakistan…. that “…all the facts taken together were Technically and theoretically he (Nathuram) was a destructive of any theory other than the member (of RSS), but he stopped workings for it conspiracy to murder by Savarkar and his group.” later. His statement in the court that he had left the RSS was to protect the RSS workers who This Hindutva became the base of politics of would be imprisoned following the murder. On Hindu Mahsabha and RSS. Gandhi in contrast was the understanding that they (RSS workers) would a Hindu but was opposed to the idea of Nation benefit from his dissociating himself from the being a Hindu nation. Similarly we see Maulana RSS, he gladly did it.” Abul Kalam Azad; a Muslim never supported the idea of a Muslim Nation Pakistan.Gandhi and This murder was celebrated by RSS followers by Hindutva politics were two opposite poles. distributing sweets, Sardar Patel wrote, “All their Gandhi united the whole nation on secular (RSS) leaders’ speeches were full of communal grounds, cutting across region, religion and caste. poison. As a final result, the poisonous He was a religious person but he was opposed to atmosphere was created in which such a ghastly misuse of religion for political goals… “In India, for tragedy (Gandhi’s murder) became possible. RSS whose fashioning I have worked all my life, every men expressed their joy and distributed sweets man enjoys equality of status, whatever his after Gandhi’s death.” Excerpts from Sardar religion is. The state is bound to be wholly Patel’s letters to M S Golwalkar and S P secular” (Harijan August 31, 1947) and,” religion Mookerjee. (Outlook, April 27, 1998) The way is a personal affair of each individual, it must not Page | 33 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

be mixed up with politics or national affairs”(ibid Any way this was a pretext as even before Gandhi pg 90).While Hindu Mahasabha and RSS believed talked about Pakistan’s share of 55 crores, that this nation is a Hindu nation and minorities already four attacks were made on Gandhi’s life, have to remain subordinate to Hindus. They in some of which Godse was also involved. Jagan mostly did not take part in anti British agitations Phadnis in his book ‘Mahatmyachi and struggles. For example Savarkar who was an Akher’ (Lokvangymay Griha, 1994) correctly anti British revolutionary in the beginning of his argues that Gandhi murder was not on the life, after getting released from Andman jail, charges propagated by them (Partition and never participated in any anti British movement insistence on paying Pakistan’s dues (55 crore) or joined and national movement. RSS followers from the treasury), but due to the basic deep barring Hedgewar, occasionally and in the differences with the social politics of Gandhi and beginning also did not take part in freedom that of the followers of the Hindu Rashtra. These movement. Their main focus was countering the two reasons are proffered merely as a pretext for Muslim communalists and subjugating them, they the same. We need to understand that when BJP were not against the British power as such. and company talk of nationalism, they are not talking of Indian Nationalism but Hindu The issue of 55 crores was a mere pretext As a nationalism, which is the not so hidden part of matter of fact this 55 crore was the Pakistan’s their political agenda. The present attacks on share from the united treasury. The first secular fabric of our polity are yet another installment of the money was already given and assassination attempts of Mahatma. So talking 55 crores were to be given. Meanwhile Pakistan about the deeper causes of his murder will attacked Kashmir. Indian Government withheld remain relevant till the attacks on secular these 55 crores after Pakistan attack on Kashmir. democratic values of the country continue to Kashmir that time was an independent state and hover on the nation. Gandhi, true to his ethical stand in political arena, asked the government not to link Pakistan’s share with the Kashmir problem. ****

8. Gandhi, RSS and Godse

By L.S. Hardenia

Greatest Gandhi Hater strongest opponent of making India a Hindu Rashtra. Gandhi was against religion-based Mahatma Gandhi was always at the top in the list discrimination. Hindu Rashtra will continue to be of leaders who were hated by the RSS. The main a dream if Gandhi is alive. RSS adopted a very reason for this hatred was their view that Gandhi shrewd strategy for the physical elimination of was the biggest impediment in spreading the Gandhi. concept of Hindu Rashtra. The RSS was aware of the fact that though Gandhi was one of the Though Gandhi was killed by a staunch RSS greatest Hindus but at the same time, he was the activist, they succeeded in creating an impression that Godse had nothing to do with the RSS. But Page | 34 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

many, including Morarji Desai, former Prime workers, the uncontrollable popular frenzy and Minister did not think so. He was of the indignation of the people following the confirmed view that Godse was a RSS worker. assassination of the Mahatma would have greatly Desai writes in his autobiography: "On 30 endangered the lives of the Sanghites. January, while Bapu was on his way to the prayer "It would be foolish to say that Gandhiji's murder meeting three shots were fired at him from a was the act of an individual. On the contrary, it revolver. Bapu fell and died soon after. Nathuram was, in fact, the logical result of a system of Godse was the man responsible for the murder. thought and an attitude of mind which the hot- He had been a worker of the Rashtriya Swayam headed gospel of communal hatred and Sevak Sangh in Poona and also the editor of a continuous preaching of violence and retaliation paper. had created in the country. The Sangh leadership "The plain-clothes men arrested him on the spot. contributed a lot to the intensification of this Godse, a fanatic Hindu, believed that Bapu was violent attitude of mind. Public memory is no partial to Muslims and was unjust to Hindus, and doubt short but at the same time, not so short as was under the illusion that, by murdering Bapu, to forget how, in those days, it was a common he was rendering a great service to the Hindu talk among the RSS people. All sorts of malicious community. As far as I remember, he made a motives were imputed to Mahatma Gandhi and statement to this effect during his trial. he was painted as the greatest enemy of the Hindus and the most incorrigible friend of the “I heard this terrible news within half-an-hour of Muslims." the incident and was shocked. I did not then know who had committed the crime and was Who was Godse? This question has been worried about one possibility. I was afraid that if repeatedly discussed in various books and the murderer was a Muslim there would be a periodicals. A prestigious English magazine great upheaval and the Hindu community might brought out a special issue on the RSS. The resort to undesirable and dangerous steps. This ‘Outlook’ dated April 27, 1998 discussed in detail worry disappeared when I learnt that a Hindu was the antecedents of Godse. The piece with the title responsible for this dastardly act." "The Godse Dilemma" was written by Rajesh Joshi. Excerpts from it are being reproduced here. Govind Sahai, in his book, analyses the motives for Gandhi's murder. He writes: (Page 4-5) "The RSS has great difficulty in either "Mahatma Gandhi's murder shook the people acknowledging or rejecting Nathuram Godse. The from their complacence and awakened them official line is that the RSS had nothing to do with from their indifference. A wave of indignation Godse and he was not a member when he killed swept the country. The people rose en masse to Mahatma Gandhi. But only three months ago, demand complete annihilation of the Professor Rajendra Singh, RSS chief, told organisations, whose ideologies of hatred and ‘Outlook’: "Godse was motivated by Akhand violence had made the assassination of Mahatma Bharat. His intention was good but he used the Gandhi in certain ways inevitable. It was, wrong method." therefore, necessary now for the Government of Who was Godse India to take action against an organisation like “Born in 1908 in the family of a village the RSS. But when the ban was actually imposed postmaster, Godse was drawn to the philosophy it proved a boon in disguise for the Sangh and its of Hindu nationalism. In his early days, he leaders. Now, it is commonly admitted that but participated in stray movements against caste for the ban and the arrests of the RSS leaders and discrimination to "reform Hindu society". He was Page | 35 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

a moderately-educated person, with a fairly good Interestingly, when MS Golwalkar became RSS command on English, greatly influenced by the chief, he ridiculed Gandhi's stand of "no Swaraj writings of Veer Savarkar, president of the without Hindu-Muslim unity". At 5.10 pm on aggressive Hindu Mahasabha. He had also read January 30, 1948, Godse fired three shots at Dadabhai Naoroji, Tilak and Gokhale. Gandhi at Birla Bhavan. His newspaper carried the In 1930, at the age of 22, Godse became a story of the assassination mentioning the name of member of the RSS, which was then considered its editor as the assassin. Godse and accomplice to be an organisation of Marathi Brahmin youths. Apte were hanged in Ambala jail on November Very soon he carved a niche for himself in the 15, 1949. Sangh and became a 'Baudhik Pracharak' “After the murder of Mahatma Gandhi in January (intellectual propagator). His brother Gopal 1948, the RSS was banned by the government. Godse says, ‘Nathuram had declared before the Although not directly involved in the court that he had left the RSS in 1934 as the then assassination, the organisation had been active in RSS chief was facing a lot of trouble. But he the Punjab violence, and had much support actually never left the organisation.’ In those among disaffected refugees. Their worldview was days, the RSS didn't maintain a record of the akin to Nathuram Godse's, and it was widely membership, and, therefore, the organisation has rumoured that RSS men had privately celebrated littledifficulty in disowning Godse. The RSS his killing of the Mahatma. Writing to the Punjab headquarters in Delhi recently instructed Suruchi government, two weeks after Gandhi's death, Prakashan not to sell any literature on Godse. Nehru said that 'we have had enough suffering “A unified India, comprising Pakistan, Bangladesh already in India because of the activities of the and Myanmar was Godse's dream and in his will RSS and like groups...These people have the blood he decreed that his ‘ashes may be immersed in of Mahatma Gandhi on their hands, and pious the holy Sindhu river when she will again flow disclaimers and disassociation now have no freely under the aegis of the flag of Hindustan.’ meaning.' “As a member of the RSS, Godse once went on a Patel Bans RSS tour with its founder KB Hedgewar. In 1934, he “So the RSS was banned, and its cadres arrested. left the RSS because he wanted to transform the However, after a year, the government decided to RSS- ‘a cultural outfit’- into an aggressive Hindu make the organisation legal once more. Its head, political party. At that time, the Hindu M.S. Golwalkar, had now agreed to ask his men to Mahasabha was the only ‘political party of ‘profess loyalty to the Constitution of India and Hindus’ which preached militarisation of Hindus. the national flag; and to restrict the Sangh's Soon after coming into contact with Savarkar, activities to the cultural sphere abjuring violence Godsebecame a member of the party. Later, he or secrecy'. The RSS chief promised the Home became general secretary of its Pune branch. But Minister, Vallabhbhai Patel, that 'while rendering gradually he started feeling uncomfortable in the help to the people in distress, we have laid our Hindu Mahasabha because he thought Savarkar emphasis on promoting peace in the country'. was being soft on the Congress. Patel himself had mixed feelings about the RSS. “In 1944, Godse, along with his friend Narayan While deploring their anti-Muslim rhetoric, he Apte, launched a newspaper called ‘Hindu admired their dedication and discipline”. Rashtra’ from Pune to propagate the ideology. He Gandhi's murder gave a big jolt to the RSS. There was closely monitoring Gandhi, whose efforts to was wide-spread anger against the RSS all over bring about Hindu-Muslim unity infuriated him. the country and also abroad. Immediately after Page | 36 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

the murder, a ban was imposed on the RSS. The been found that in several parts of the country, Government of India Communiqué banning the individual members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak RSS was issued on Feb. 4, 1948. The text of the Sangh have indulged in acts of violence involving communiqué is being reproduced here: arson, robbery, dacoity, and murder and have "In their resolution of February 2, 1948, the collected illicit arms and ammunitions. They have Government of India declared their been found circulating leaflets exhorting people determination to root out the forces of hate and to resort to terrorist methods, to collect fire arms, violence that are at work in our country and to create disaffection against the government and imperil the freedom of the Nation and darken her suborn the police and the military. These fair name. In pursuance of this policy, the activities have been carried on under a cloak of Government of India have decided to declare secrecy, and the government have considered unlawful the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in the from time to time, how far these activities Chief Commissioner's Provinces. Similar action is rendered it incumbent on them to deal with the also being taken in the Governors' Provinces. Sangh in its corporate capacity. The last occasion when the government defined this attitude was "As democratic governments, the Government of when the Premiers and the Home Ministers of India and the provincial governments have always provinces met in Delhi in conference towards the been anxious to allow reasonable scope for end of November. genuine political, social and economic activities to all parties and organisations, "It was then unanimously agreed that the stage including those whose policies and purposes when the Sangh should be dealt with as an differ from, or even run counter to their own, association had not yet arrived and that subject to the consideration that such activities individuals should continue to be dealt with should not transgress certain commonly sternly as hitherto. The objectionable and harmful recognised limits of propriety or law. The activities of the Sangh have, however, continued professed aims and objects of the Rashtriya unabated and the cult of violence sponsored and Swayamsevak Sangh are to promote the physical, inspired by the activities of the Sangh has claimed intellectual and moral many victims. The latest and the most precious to well-being of the Hindus and also to foster fall was Gandhiji himself. feelings of brotherhood, love and service "In these circumstances it is the bounden duty of amongst them. Government themselves are most the government to take effective measures to anxious to improve the general material and curb this re-appearance of violence in a virulent intellectual well-being of all sections of the form and as a first step to this end, they have people and have got schemes on hand which are decided to declare the Sangh as an unlawful designed to carry out these objects, particularly association. Government have no doubt that in the provision of physical training and education in taking this measure they have the support of all military matters to the youth of the country. law-abiding citizens, of all those who have the Government have, however, noticed with regret welfare of the country at heart” - (RSS, Desraj that in practice, members of the Rashtriya Goyal, P 201) Swayamsevak Sangh have not adhered to their Soon after the release of Guru Golwalkar, a Press professed ideals. Note was issued on Nov. 14, 1948 explaining the Dangerous Activities of RSS issues involved. The press note is being "Undesirable and even dangerous activities have reproduced here: been carried on by members of the Sangh. It has Page | 37 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

"Soon after his release from prison in Nagpur opposed to the withdrawal of the ban and the after the statutory period of six months, Mr. Government of India have concurred with the Golwalkar, head of the RSS organisation, made view of the provincial governments. approaches to the government which indicated a "This position was conveyed to Mr. Golwalkar possibility that the activities of that organisation towards the end of the last month and he was might be diverted and confined to channels which told that since the purpose for which he had been would have no harmful effect on the communal allowed to come to Delhi had been served, he situation in the country. He also expressed a should now return to Nagpur. Mr. Golwalkar was desire to interview the Home Minister. In order to not prepared to accept this position and enable him to do so, the Government of India expressed a desire to see the Home Minister and requested the CP government to cancel an order the Prime Minister on their return to Delhi. The issued by them under which Mr. Golwalkar's Home Minister declined to grant a further movements had been restricted to the city of interview, but in order to give him a chance to Nagpur and to facilitate his departure for Delhi interview the Prime Minister on his return, if the for the specific purpose of seeing the Home latter so desired, he was allowed to remain in Minister. Delhi under certain restrictive orders issued by "Mr. Golwalkar, accordingly, came to Delhi and the District Magistrate of Delhi. Mr. Golwalkar had his first interview with the Home Minister declined to accept the orders of restrictions, but soon after his arrival. There was an exchange of has made no attempts to contravene the views and Mr.. Golwalkar wanted some time to restrictions imposed on him. He has written consult his followers in an attempt to influence letters both to the Prime Minister and Home them on the right lines. Some days later, he had Minister explaining inter alia that the RSS agrees his second interview during which he expressed entirely in the conception of a secular state for his inability to bind himself to any change until India and that it accepts the National Flag of the the ban was lifted. He felt that the lifting of the country and requesting that the ban imposed on ban would strengthen his hands in dealing with the organisation in February should now be lifted. his followers. Simultaneously, however, the These professions of the RSS leader are, however, Government of India had got in touch with quite inconsistent with the practice of his provincial governments to acquaint themselves followers and for the reasons already explained with their views and the latest information about above, the Government of India find themselves the activities of the RSS. The information received unable to advise provincial governments to lift by the Government of India shows that the the ban. The Prime Minister has, therefore, activities carried on in various forms and ways by declined the interview which Mr. Golwalkar had the people associated with the RSS tend to be sought. anti-national and often subversive and violent "Mr. Golwalkar is accordingly being informed that and that persistent attempts are being made by he should make immediate arrangements to the RSS to revive an atmosphere in the country return to Nagpur. The Government of India are which was productive of such disastrous also taking appropriate steps to ensure that Mr. consequences in the past. For these reasons, the Golwalkar complies with these instructions”. (RSS, provincial governments have declared themselves Desraj Goyal, P 203).

***

Page | 38 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

Book review 9. Preserving the Truth Behind Gandhi’s Murder

By Hari Narayan

BEYOND DOUBT — A Dossier on Gandhi’s Assassination: Compiled by Teesta Setalvad; Tulika Books, 35 A/1 (ground floor), Shahpur Jat, New Delhi-110049. Rs. 450.

June 25, 1934 has got a curious connection to the Gandhiji witnessed the first of six attempts on his three shots fired at around 5:10 pm on the fateful Friday of January 30, 1948, shots that would go life, the sixth of which was to result in his death. on to silence the life of a 79-year-old frail but That two of the four subsequent unsuccessful resolute Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. For it attempts were to involve his eventual assassin, was on that day, while on a visit to Pune, that Nathuram Godse, did not force law enforcement authorities to keep an eye on the misguided Hindu fanatic. The act of murder of an individual to whom poet Rabindranath Tagore gave the moniker ‘Mahatma’, one who Subhash Chandra Bose referred to as ‘Father of the Nation’, has rightly been called by Teesta Setalvad in this dossier as the first act of terror committed in independent India. For what was it if not the result of an organised conspiracy on the part of a section of people to spread terror among Indian public at large?

Setalvad, the curator of this collection of articles, documents and excerpts from books on the assassination, says the book’s aim is to collect and preserve the archival truths associated with the Mahatma’s murder, documents that she feels are under threat of cleansing under the present dispensation.

The murder, she says, was “a declaration of war and a statement of intent.” Declaration of war by a section of society, which remained largely on the fringes during the independence struggle. This was a section that bore visceral dislike toward the idea of composite culture and inclusive nationhood advocated by the Mahatma. However, subsequent events, the most seminal of which was the adoption of an intellectual

Page | 39 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

masterpiece in the form of the Indian the murder was a failed attempt to silence the Constitution on January 26, 1950, make it clear soul of someone who, in life and death, that the assassination failed on both counts. championed right to equality and dignity of the masses, someone whose thinking shaped the very The Fundamental Rights and Economic Principles, idea of an independent India. Pankaj Mishra, in which first found mention in the Karachi his biography of Buddha, compared the Resolution of 1931 and to which this book refers philosophy of Gautama to that propagated by to as the antithesis of all that the Hindu Right Gandhi — the belief that a change in attitude can stood for, were incorporated and, later, be brought about by appealing to one’s institutionalised by the three pillars of our conscience. Gandhiji believed that in practicing democracy. It was Magna Carta more than non-violence, one’s sympathies should be Manusmriti that guided the way we govern our expressed toward the oppressor as well as the political life. However, as indicated in different victim, to the point where the oppressor sections of this book, the majoritarian ideology undergoes a change of heart. that led to Gandhiji’s killing and communal violence in independent India continued to His death, however, failed to bring about a flourish under the patronage of fringe change of heart in his assassins. Be it Nathuram organisations. or his brother and co-conspirator Gopal Godse, whose interview in 1994 to Arvind Rajagopal is A considerable portion of the book reproduces reproduced in this book, they remained archival files, and documents. However, the parts unrepentant till the end. However, had he in which it is at its most impressive are the places survived on that Friday, Gandhiji — having where the lucidity of literature trumps the forgiven Godse for one of the previous attempts monotony of journalism. For instance, the essay on his life — would have chosen not to consider ‘The Last Hours of the Mahatma’ by Stephen him an adversary. Murphy, where it is indicated that the Mahatma had a foreboding on that Friday morning that he This book holds the Hindu Right guilty of won’t live for long. Or the compassionate propagating the majoritarian idea of Hindu editorials published by Pakistani newspapers Rashtra. However, the mainstreaming of the kind which paid poignant tributes to the Mahatma, of inclusive politics that the Mahatma visualised which prove that his ideas did have their admirers made sure that such impulses, which in due in India’s conjoined twin toward the west in its course became de rigeur in Pakistan, were kept in initial days. One of them that appeared in check. Pakistan Times compared his killing to the crucifixion of Christ. Another one, by poet Faiz The kind of admiration the Mahatma invokes in Ahmad Faiz, calling Gandhiji “a symbol of hope different sections of not just our society but also and courage” to Muslims, said his death was a that of other nations, in contrast to the revulsion loss to both countries. his antitheses provoke, proves that moderation triumphs over vituperation in the long run. The most important piece here is the English translation of Jagan Phadnis’s book Mahatmyachi Keywords: Gandhi assasination, Nathuram Akher (End of the Sage) on which the strength of Godse, Karachi Resolution, Teesta Setalvad’s collection rests. Phadnis stresses that Setalvad, Beyond Doubt — A Dossier on Gandhi’s Assassination, history books

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Book Review 10. Savarkar and Hindutva

By A.G. Noorani

On a sunny humid Saturday morning, with recognized make of my phone by glancing at its nothing to do at home, I headed out to look for backside for a fraction of a second! On entering Kitab Khana, one could feel its rich interiors with marble statues lining top of the shelves on one side, with the other one leading to a café located inside the store. History section disappointingly was suffocating small – there were hardly any books I was unaware of. So amongst the few which I had not heard of, ‘Savarkar and Hindutva – The Godse Connection’ by A.G. Noorani caught my eye. A.G. Noorani is a regular columnist in Frontline magazine, and I devour his well researched and sometimes difficult to understand book reviews. He also practiced as an advocated in Supreme Court of India. Rise of Hindutva is an illuminating one in a land revered for moderate Hindus and accepting nature of Hinduism. Christophe Jaffrelot’s ‘Hindu Nationalist Movement and Indian Politics’ lay unread on my shelf, but I couldn’t stop myself from buying this one.

Mr. Noorani starts with efforts of BJP from 1990s myself the bookstore Kitab Khana, located in an onwards towards reviving the image of Vinayak area called Fort in Mumbai. Couple of months ago Damodar Savarkar. However, he writes, “only in I had passed through dark alleys near C.S.T and 2002 could Lal Kishen Advani, the BJP’s foremost had stumbled upon a large mansion-like building exponent of Hindutva, muster courage to laud with ‘Kitab Mahal’ written on its large entrance, Savarkar as a national hero”. That Savarkar’s underneath ‘Indo American Society’ and I portrait replaced that of Gandhi during BJP’s rule mistakenly assumed it to be the bookstore. The cannot be more despicable and ironical given that reflecting sunlight made me more level headed Nathuram Godse, was Savarkar’s disciple, and and I searched for address of Kitab Khaana on my Gandhi’s assassin. Because of ideological phone while standing in front of Kitab Mahal. I differences in politics of BJP and Congress, BJP walked along crowded streets, to be surprised by had to bring out its side of contribution towards a roadside mobile accessories vendor who achievement of Indian independence, and this is Page | 41 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

what they came up with. Coverage of the book is disastrous theory on the basis of his writings in wide indeed – from books to articles, from Hindutva. speeches to court orders – everything has been About Gandhi’s murder, the author, based on unearthed to bring facts on the table. He laments various court orders and letters, concludes that that “a fair and definitive biography of Savarkar is Savarkar was involved in the planning of it, yet to appear. The standard work in English is however RSS (as an organization) wasn’t – but Dhananjay Keer’s biography which often borders members of Hindu Mahasabha were directly on hagiography”. Author mentions hard work put involved in the assassination. In chapter ‘Gandhi’s in by Savarkar for his first book The First Indian Murder’ he chalks out movements of suspects War of Independence – 1857, a “veritable classic” and how their first attempt at assassination failed and gives him credit where due. and succeeded only during their second attempt, However, the so called revolutionary character of both in Delhi. Accused in the case were Nathuram Savarkar falls apart when he is sent to jail owing Godse, Narayan Apte, Vishnu Karkare, Madanlal to his involvement in two murders of British men. Pahwa, Shankar Kistayya, Gopal Godse, V.D. He was sent to Cellular Jail in Port Blair, wherein Savarkar and Dattatraya Parchure. Barring after spending considerable amount in jail, he “Kistayya, all were committed Mahasabhaites bows to British masters and his family is putting blindly loyal to Savarkar”. And it was all the more frantic efforts to get him released. The surprising to read that “Nathuram Godse and “submissive, even obsequious” nature of him is Apte left by plane on the afternoon of the 17th evident from verbatim letters written by him to arriving at Delhi in the evening and stayed at the British, asking for forgiveness. The point which Marina Hotel, then a fairly posh European style stirs a debate in my head is when it is mentioned hotel in Connaught Circus”. Author then points to that “Savarkar was the first to propound the two- various statements of accused and action of the nation theory. He propounded it first in Hindutva prosecution to nail them. He verbatim quotes in 1923” and “Jinnah propounded his two-nation their statements and notes how law is structured theory in 1939”. This was something I couldn’t differently for a civil suit and a criminal suit. immediately fathom because MJ Akbar, in Savarkars honorific title of ‘Veer’ is ripped apart Tinderbox, had mentioned and clearly written owing to his fawning behavior when in trouble how the movement for separation of Muslims with the government, whether British or Indian. and Hindus (for fear of being left behind after the His vile-filled articles against Muslims and even British) had roots in eighteenth and nineteenth Arabs (during the creation of State of Israel) bring centuries. This topic however will need more forth a personality which is less of a revolutionary research (1, 2) and reading from my side before and more of an extremist, and extremist however commenting further. I felt the author should have who is scared to death when faced with delved deeper about why he believes only accusations. In the end, Savarkar went scot-free Savarkar was the first ever proponent and not only because Judge Atma Charan felt “’unsafe’ to elite Muslims (especially of Bengal) in 18th and convict Savarkar on Badge’s uncorroborated 19th centuries, rather than just accuse him of the evidence even though he had found him to be a truthful witness”. Though Sardar Patel’s views, Page | 42 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

“morally, it is possible that one’s conviction may history as it straight away enters into a muddled be the other way about” (when writing about how world of politics and hardliners. The book is short one may be innocent in the eye of law, but not with 147 pages barring bibliography. It is a bit necessarily morally), and Justice Jivan Lal Kapur drab in places and repetitive on some aspects of end up nailing the truth by laying bare “the the case. Author does however cross the line pattern underlying earlier crimes – Curzon Wylie’s more often than not by passing crude personal murder in 1909, Jackson’s murder in 1909, an comments about Savarkar, rather than being attempt to murder Hotson in 1931, and Gandhi’s objective about it. Leaving aside the jingoism, it murder in 1948”. makes for an eye opener on Savarkar – the man still leading BJP / RSS towards light of a path not This book is not meant for somebody who is so righteous. unaware of BJP / RSS / twentieth century Indian

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Selected Readings

1. A.G.Noorani: Savarkar and Hindutva-Godse Connection, Left Word 2. Deshraj Goyal: RSS, Radha Krishna, Delhi 2000 3. Teesta Setalvad: Beyond Doubt- A Dossier on Gandhi’s Assassination, Tulika 4. Ram Puniyani: The Second Assassination of Gandhi, Olive, Calicut 2015 5. Jagan Phadnis, ‘Mahatmyachi Akher’ (Lokvangymay Griha, 1994)

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Published by Centre for Study of Society and Secularism 602 & 603 New Silver Star, Prabhat Colony Rd., Behind BEST Bus Depot, Santacruz (E), Mumbai: - 400 055. E-mail: [email protected] Page | 43 Gandhi’s Assassination- Godse and RSS Connection

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1