Why I assassinated Mahatma Gandhi.

I spotted a highly debatable book "Why I assassinated Mahatma Gandhi". Thanks to the freedom of expression enshrined in our constitution this explosive explanatory justification given by none else but the killer Nathu Ram Godse himself, is readily available off the shelf in book stores. The MP shared that he got a culture shock while reading this 100-odd page statement delivered in a court of law. Even the judge G.D.Khosla commented that it was difficult to remain indifferent by the die-hard ideologue Godse. No one can agree to the killing of your ideological opponent still the law allows an accused to express his version.  It is ironical to note that Gandhi lived by his Hindu faith and a champion of Hindu-Muslim unity and he opposed the division of his country but this very belief became the cause of Godse's provocation.  A book is successful if forces to reader to revise his perspective on a given situation. This book does that. One doesn't become a Godse-sympathiser but the clash of two could faiths could be do disastrous is a painful thought.

This book is a reproduction of the five day long defense statement made by the assassin Hindu Ideologue Nathuram Godse who infuriated because of the pro-Muslim tilt of Gandhi on the eve of the Partition and the consequent creation of Pakistan. He hit the bulls eye when Gandhi declared a fast unto death for giving rupees 55 crore aid to Pakistan. Godse said he resolved that it was the time to remove Gandhi from the scene and he did it with a firm determination. He went into minute details of the political developments leading to the murder. He executed it in a cold blooded manner. The book is a sordid saga of the churning of mind of a determined killer. Many international figures like John F. Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln and Anwar Sadat of Egypt were killed because of the political considerations but no killer chose to pen down his thought process.

It was a culture shock for to see this book displayed on a book stall in a public square. I couldn't resist buying a copy and read it in one go. I got a rude shock while imbibing the mindset of a killer. 

I strongly feel that this book must be read by all the people interested in turbulant times in 1940s when the British decide to leave India and negotiated a transfer of power which was destined to consummate in a blood bath killing more than 5 million people. This book should be read for the roles played by the great freedom fighters of India like Gandhi, Nehru, Patel and Azad. Of course Jinnah was also a lead player but he swung towards the division of the country. Gandhi tried his best to stop the partition but he could neither save this nor his life.