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WHYIKILLEDGANDHINathuramGodse'sFinalAddresstotheCourt.|SmileOSmile

Gandhijisassassin,NathuramGodsesFinalAddresstotheCourt.

WHYIKILLEDGANDHINathuramGodse'sFinal
AddresstotheCourt.
NathuramGodsewasarrestedimmediatelyafterheassassinatedGandhiji,basedonaF.I.R.filedby
NandlalMehtaattheTughlakRoadPolicestatonatDelhi.Thetrial,whichwasheldincamera,began
onMay27,1948andconcludedonFebruary10,1949.Hewassentencedtodeath.
AnappealtothePunjabHighCourt,theninsessionatSimla,didnotfindfavourandthesentencewas
upheld.ThestatementthatyouareabouttoreadisthelastmadebyGodsebeforetheCourtontheMay
5,1949.
Suchwasthepowerandeloquenceofthisstatementthatoneofthejudges,G.D.Khosla,laterwrote,I
have,however,nodoubtthathadtheaudienceofthatdaybeenconstitutedintoajuryandentrustedwith
thetaskofdecidingGodsesappeal,theywouldhavebroughtaverdictofnotGuiltybyan
overwhelmingmajority

WHYIKILLEDGANDHI
BorninadevotionalBrahminfamily,IinstinctivelycametorevereHindureligion,Hinduhistoryand
Hinduculture.Ihad,therefore,beenintenselyproudofHinduismasawhole.AsIgrewupIdeveloped
atendencytofreethinkingunfetteredbyanysuperstitiousallegiancetoanyisms,politicalorreligious.
ThatiswhyIworkedactivelyfortheeradicationofuntouchabilityandthecastesystembasedonbirth
alone.IopenlyjoinedRSSwingofanticastemovementsandmaintainedthatallHinduswereofequal
statusastorights,socialandreligiousandshouldbeconsideredhighorlowonmeritaloneandnot
throughtheaccidentofbirthinaparticularcasteorprofession.
IusedpubliclytotakepartinorganizedanticastedinnersinwhichthousandsofHindus,Brahmins,
Kshatriyas,Vaisyas,ChamarsandBhangisparticipated.Webrokethecasterulesanddinedinthe
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companyofeachother.IhavereadthespeechesandwritingsofRavana,Chanakiya,DadabhaiNaoroji,
Vivekanand,Gokhale,Tilak,alongwiththebooksofancientandmodernhistoryofIndiaandsome
prominentcountrieslikeEngland,France,AmericaandRussia.MoreoverIstudiedthetenetsof
SocialismandMarxism.ButaboveallIstudiedverycloselywhateverVeerSavarkarandGandhijihad
writtenandspoken,astomymindthesetwoideologieshavecontributedmoretothemouldingofthe
thoughtandactionoftheIndianpeopleduringthelastthirtyyearsorso,thananyothersinglefactorhas
done.
AllthisreadingandthinkingledmetobelieveitwasmyfirstdutytoserveHindudomandHindusboth
asapatriotandasaworldcitizen.Tosecurethefreedomandtosafeguardthejustinterestsofsome
thirtycrores(300million)ofHinduswouldautomaticallyconstitutethefreedomandthewellbeingofall
India,onefifthofhumanrace.ThisconvictionledmenaturallytodevotemyselftotheHindu
Sanghtanistideologyandprogramme,whichalone,Icametobelieve,couldwinandpreservethe
nationalindependenceofHindustan,myMotherland,andenablehertorendertrueservicetohumanity
aswell.
Sincetheyear1920,thatis,afterthedemiseofLokamanyaTilak,GandhijisinfluenceintheCongress
firstincreasedandthenbecamesupreme.Hisactivitiesforpublicawakeningwerephenomenalintheir
intensityandwerereinforcedbythesloganoftruthandnonviolencewhichheparadedostentatiously
beforethecountry.Nosensibleorenlightenedpersoncouldobjecttothoseslogans.Infactthereis
nothingnewororiginalinthem..Theyareimplicitineveryconstitutionalpublicmovement.Butitis
nothingbutameredreamifyouimaginethatthebulkofmankindis,orcaneverbecome,capableof
scrupulousadherencetotheseloftyprinciplesinitsnormallifefromdaytoday.
Infact,honour,dutyandloveofonesownkithandkinandcountrymightoftencompelustodisregard
nonviolenceandtouseforce.Icouldneverconceivethatanarmedresistancetoanaggressionisunjust.
Iwouldconsideritareligiousandmoraldutytoresistand,ifpossible,tooverpowersuchanenemyby
useofforce.[IntheRamayana]RamakilledRavanainatumultuousfightandrelievedSita..[Inthe
Mahabharata],KrishnakilledKansatoendhiswickednessandArjunahadtofightandslayquitea
numberofhisfriendsandrelationsincludingthereveredBhishmabecausethelatterwasonthesideof
theaggressor.ItismyfirmbeliefthatindubbingRama,KrishnaandArjunaasguiltyofviolence,the
Mahatmabetrayedatotalignoranceofthespringsofhumanaction.
Inmorerecenthistory,itwastheheroicfightputupbyChhatrapatiShivajithatfirstcheckedand
eventuallydestroyedtheMuslimtyrannyinIndia.ItwasabsolutelyessentiallyforShivajitooverpower
andkillanaggressiveAfzalKhan,failingwhichhewouldhavelosthisownlife.Incondemning
historystoweringwarriorslikeShivaji,RanaPratapandGuruGobindSinghasmisguidedpatriots,
Gandhijihasmerelyexposedhisselfconceit.Hewas,paradoxicalasitmayappear,aviolentpacifist
whobroughtuntoldcalamitiesonthecountryinthenameoftruthandnonviolence,whileRanaPratap,
ShivajiandtheGuruwillremainenshrinedintheheartsoftheircountrymenforeverforthefreedom
theybroughttothem.
Theaccumulatingprovocationofthirtytwoyears,culminatinginhislastproMuslimfast,atlastgoaded
metotheconclusionthattheexistenceofGandhishouldbebroughttoanendimmediately.Gandhihad
doneverygoodinSouthAfricatoupholdtherightsandwellbeingoftheIndiancommunitythere.But
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whenhefinallyreturnedtoIndiahedevelopedasubjectivementalityunderwhichhealonewastobe
thefinaljudgeofwhatwasrightorwrong.Ifthecountrywantedhisleadership,ithadtoaccepthis
infallibilityifitdidnot,hewouldstandalooffromtheCongressandcarryonhisownway.
Againstsuchanattitudetherecanbenohalfwayhouse.EitherCongresshadtosurrenderitswilltohis
andhadtobecontentwithplayingsecondfiddletoallhiseccentricity,whimsicality,metaphysicsand
primitivevision,orithadtocarryonwithouthim.HealonewastheJudgeofeveryoneandeverything
hewasthemasterbrainguidingthecivildisobediencemovementnoothercouldknowthetechniqueof
thatmovement.Healoneknewwhentobeginandwhentowithdrawit.Themovementmightsucceedor
fail,itmightbringuntolddisasterandpoliticalreversesbutthatcouldmakenodifferencetothe
Mahatmasinfallibility.ASatyagrahicanneverfailwashisformulafordeclaringhisowninfallibility
andnobodyexcepthimselfknewwhataSatyagrahiis.Thus,theMahatmabecamethejudgeandjuryin
hisowncause.Thesechildishinsanitiesandobstinacies,coupledwithamostsevereausterityoflife,
ceaselessworkandloftycharactermadeGandhiformidableandirresistible.
ManypeoplethoughtthathispoliticswereirrationalbuttheyhadeithertowithdrawfromtheCongress
orplacetheirintelligenceathisfeettodowithasheliked.Inapositionofsuchabsoluteirresponsibility
Gandhiwasguiltyofblunderafterblunder,failureafterfailure,disasterafterdisaster.Gandhispro
MuslimpolicyisblatantlyinhisperverseattitudeonthequestionofthenationallanguageofIndia.Itis
quiteobviousthatHindihasthemostpriorclaimtobeacceptedasthepremierlanguage.Inthe
beginningofhiscareerinIndia,GandhigaveagreatimpetustoHindibutashefoundthattheMuslims
didnotlikeit,hebecameachampionofwhatiscalledHindustani..EverybodyinIndiaknowsthatthere
isnolanguagecalledHindustaniithasnogrammarithasnovocabulary.Itisameredialect,itis
spoken,butnotwritten.ItisabastardtongueandcrossbreedbetweenHindiandUrdu,andnoteventhe
Mahatmassophistrycouldmakeitpopular.ButinhisdesiretopleasetheMuslimsheinsistedthat
HindustanialoneshouldbethenationallanguageofIndia.Hisblindfollowers,ofcourse,supportedhim
andthesocalledhybridlanguagebegantobeused.ThecharmandpurityoftheHindilanguagewasto
beprostitutedtopleasetheMuslims.AllhisexperimentswereattheexpenseoftheHindus.
FromAugust1946onwardstheprivatearmiesoftheMuslimLeaguebeganamassacreoftheHindus.
ThethenViceroy,LordWavell,thoughdistressedatwhatwashappening,wouldnotusehispowers
undertheGovernmentofIndiaActof1935topreventtherape,murderandarson.TheHindublood
begantoflowfromBengaltoKarachiwithsomeretaliationbytheHindus.TheInterimGovernment
formedinSeptemberwassabotagedbyitsMuslimLeaguemembersrightfromitsinception,butthe
moretheybecamedisloyalandtreasonabletothegovernmentofwhichtheywereapart,thegreaterwas
Gandhisinfatuationforthem.LordWavellhadtoresignashecouldnotbringaboutasettlementandhe
wassucceededbyLordMountbatten.KingLogwasfollowedbyKingStork.TheCongresswhichhad
boastedofitsnationalismandsocialismsecretlyacceptedPakistanliterallyatthepointofthebayonet
andabjectlysurrenderedtoJinnah.IndiawasvivisectedandonethirdoftheIndianterritorybecame
foreignlandtousfromAugust15,1947.
LordMountbattencametobedescribedinCongresscirclesasthegreatestViceroyandGovernor
Generalthiscountryeverhad.TheofficialdateforhandingoverpowerwasfixedforJune30,1948,but
MountbattenwithhisruthlesssurgerygaveusagiftofvivisectedIndiatenmonthsinadvance.Thisis
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whatGandhihadachievedafterthirtyyearsofundisputeddictatorshipandthisiswhatCongressparty
callsfreedomandpeacefultransferofpower.TheHinduMuslimunitybubblewasfinallyburstanda
theocraticstatewasestablishedwiththeconsentofNehruandhiscrowdandtheyhavecalledfreedom
wonbythemwithsacrificewhosesacrifice?WhentopleadersofCongress,withtheconsentof
Gandhi,dividedandtorethecountrywhichweconsideradeityofworshipmymindwasfilledwith
direfulanger.
OneoftheconditionsimposedbyGandhiforhisbreakingofthefastuntodeathrelatedtothemosques
inDelhioccupiedbytheHindurefugees.ButwhenHindusinPakistanweresubjectedtoviolentattacks
hedidnotsomuchasutterasinglewordtoprotestandcensurethePakistanGovernmentortheMuslims
concerned.Gandhiwasshrewdenoughtoknowthatwhileundertakingafastuntodeath,hadhe
imposedforitsbreaksomeconditionontheMuslimsinPakistan,therewouldhavebeenfoundhardly
anyMuslimswhocouldhaveshownsomegriefifthefasthadendedinhisdeath.Itwasforthisreason
thathepurposelyavoidedimposinganyconditionontheMuslims.Hewasfullyawareoffromthe
experiencethatJinnahwasnotatallperturbedorinfluencedbyhisfastandtheMuslimLeaguehardly
attachedanyvaluetotheinnervoiceofGandhi.
GandhiisbeingreferredtoastheFatheroftheNation.Butifthatisso,hehadfailedhispaternalduty
inasmuchashehasactedverytreacherouslytothenationbyhisconsentingtothepartitioningofit.I
stoutlymaintainthatGandhihasfailedinhisduty.HehasprovedtobetheFatherofPakistan.Hisinner
voice,hisspiritualpowerandhisdoctrineofnonviolenceofwhichsomuchismadeof,allcrumbled
beforeJinnahsironwillandprovedtobepowerless.Brieflyspeaking,IthoughttomyselfandforesawI
shallbetotallyruined,andtheonlythingIcouldexpectfromthepeoplewouldbenothingbuthatred
andthatIshallhavelostallmyhonour,evenmorevaluablethanmylife,ifIweretokillGandhiji.Butat
thesametimeIfeltthattheIndianpoliticsintheabsenceofGandhijiwouldsurelybeprovedpractical,
abletoretaliate,andwouldbepowerfulwitharmedforces.Nodoubt,myownfuturewouldbetotally
ruined,butthenationwouldbesavedfromtheinroadsofPakistan.Peoplemayevencallmeanddub
measdevoidofanysenseorfoolish,butthenationwouldbefreetofollowthecoursefoundedonthe
reasonwhichIconsidertobenecessaryforsoundnationbuilding.
Afterhavingfullyconsideredthequestion,Itookthefinaldecisioninthematter,butIdidnotspeak
aboutittoanyonewhatsoever.ItookcourageinbothmyhandsandIdidfiretheshotsatGandhijion
30thJanuary1948,ontheprayergroundsofBirlaHouse.Idosaythatmyshotswerefiredattheperson
whosepolicyandactionhadbroughtrackandruinanddestructiontomillionsofHindus.Therewasno
legalmachinerybywhichsuchanoffendercouldbebroughttobookandforthisreasonIfiredthose
fatalshots.IbearnoillwilltowardsanyoneindividuallybutIdosaythatIhadnorespectforthepresent
governmentowingtotheirpolicywhichwasunfairlyfavourabletowardstheMuslims.Butatthesame
timeIcouldclearlyseethatthepolicywasentirelyduetothepresenceofGandhi.
IhavetosaywithgreatregretthatPrimeMinisterNehruquiteforgetsthathispreachingsanddeedsare
attimesatvarianceswitheachotherwhenhetalksaboutIndiaasasecularstateinseasonandoutof
season,becauseitissignificanttonotethatNehruhasplayedaleadingroleintheestablishmentofthe
theocraticstateofPakistan,andhisjobwasmadeeasierbyGandhispersistentpolicyofappeasement
towardstheMuslims.InowstandbeforethecourttoacceptthefullshareofmyresponsibilityforwhatI
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havedoneandthejudgewould,ofcourse,passagainstmesuchordersofsentenceasmaybe
consideredproper.ButIwouldliketoaddthatIdonotdesireanymercytobeshowntome,nordoI
wishthatanyoneelseshouldbegformercyonmybehalf.Myconfidenceaboutthemoralsideofmy
actionhasnotbeenshakenevenbythecriticismlevelledagainstitonallsides.Ihavenodoubtthat
honestwritersofhistorywillweighmyactandfindthetruevaluethereofsomedayinfuture.

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