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Godse

The Life and Legacy of Nathuram Godse: India's Infamous Assassin

By Shivam RajputPublished about a year ago 3 min read
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Godse was a radical Hindu nationalist and a member of the right-wing Hindu Mahasabha party who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi on 30 January 1948. He is widely regarded as one of the most controversial figures in Indian history due to his role in the assassination of Gandhi.

Godse was born on 19 May 1910 in Baramati, a small village in southwestern India. His father, Madhavrao Godse, was a postmaster and his mother, Lakshmi, was a homemaker. Godse was the youngest of five children and grew up in an orthodox Hindu family. He was educated in the local school, where he was an average student. He was also a proficient debater and was known for having a sharp wit.

Godse was politically active from an early age and joined the Hindu Mahasabha in 1937. He was an ardent supporter of Hindu nationalism and believed that the Indian subcontinent should be ruled by Hindus. He was also a vocal critic of the Indian National Congress and its leader, Mahatma Gandhi. Godse felt that Gandhi’s policies were detrimental to the Hindu community and that he had betrayed the Hindu cause.

Godse was arrested shortly after the assassination of Gandhi and was put on trial. He pleaded guilty to the charge of murder and was sentenced to death. He was executed on 15 November 1949.

Godse is remembered as one of the most polarizing figures in Indian history. To some, he is seen as a hero who took a stand against what he saw as the unfair policies of Gandhi. To others, he is seen as a villain who assassinated a man of peace. Whatever one’s opinion of Godse, his actions had a profound impact on the course of Indian history. His assassination of Gandhi resulted in a surge in religious tensions in India and set the stage for the partition of India and Pakistan in 1947.

Godse’s legacy is still hotly debated today. His supporters regard him as a patriot who defended Hinduism against the forces of secularism, while his detractors condemn him for his role in the death of one of India’s most beloved leaders. Regardless of one’s opinion of Godse, his actions have left an indelible mark on Indian history.

Godse was an Indian nationalist, political activist and assassin of Mahatma Gandhi. He is widely known as the man who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, 1948. Godse was born in May 1910 in the Baramati of Pune district, in the state of Maharashtra. His parents were orthodox Hindu Brahmin family and his father was a postal clerk.

Godse was a follower of the Hindu Mahasabha and was present at the All India Hindu Mahasabha Conference in Delhi in May 1947. He was a supporter of the notion that India should be a Hindu nation and was strongly opposed to Gandhi’s policy of non-violence. He became an active member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in 1940 and then joined the Hindu Mahasabha in 1943.

Godse was very vocal in his criticism of Gandhi. He wrote a book titled Why I Assassinated Mahatma Gandhi which was published in 1948. In the book, Godse argued that Gandhi was responsible for the partition of India, which he believed was a great injustice to the Hindu community. He also accused Gandhi of appeasing Muslims, and of not doing enough to help the Hindu majority in India.

Godse was arrested on March 15, 1948, and tried for the assassination of Gandhi. He was convicted and sentenced to death in November 1949. He was hanged on November 15, 1949 at Ambala Central Jail.

Godse is remembered as one of the most controversial figures in Indian history. He is seen as a symbol of Hindu nationalism, and is respected by some, while reviled by others. His actions have been the subject of much debate and have been used to justify a variety of political positions. While his actions have been condemned, they have also been seen as a reflection of the political and religious divisions in India during this period. His memory is still invoked in Indian politics, and his legacy continues to shape the national discourse.

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Shivam Rajput

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