आज 30 जनवरी के दिन ही महात्मा गांधी की हत्या नाथूराम गोडसे नाम के एक सिरफिरे ने की थी। इसी शर्मनाक घटना को याद करते हुए गांधी स्मृति राजघाट के लिए जामिया के सैकड़ों छात्र निकले हुए थे। जामिया के ठीक आगे ही एक व्यक्ति हाथों में पिस्टल लहराता हुआ छात्रों के सामने आ गया और युवक ना सिर्फ पिस्टल लहरा रहा था बल्कि दिल्ली पुलिस जिंदाबाद के नारे भी लगा रहा था।

ऐसे ही गोडसे ने बापू की हत्या की थी, राम के नाम पर सत्ता में आने वालों ने आज ये 'नाथूराम' बनाया है

LAST ATTEMPT ON GANDHI JI'S LIFE ************************************************And the last one happened on January 30 at 5:17 pm when Nathuram Godse approached him and shot him three times in his chest at point-blank range. All those involved in the crime were arrested and tried in a court which attracted a lot of media attention. Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte were sentenced to death by the courts and others were awarded life imprisonment. As far as Savarkar was concerned, he was acquitted and set free due to lack of evidence.

4TH ATTEMPT ON GANDHI JI'S LIFE *******************************************************The fourth attempt on Gandhi’s life (January 20, 1948) involved roughly the same group, namely, Madanlal Pahwa, Shankar Kistaiya, Digambar Badge, Vishnu Karkare, Gopal Godse, Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte. The plan was to attack Mahatma Gandhi and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. In this failed attempt, Madanlal Pahwa placed a cotton ball enclosing a bomb on the wall behind the podium in Birla Bhavan, where Gandhi was staying. The bomb went off without creating any panic, although Madanlal Pahwa was caught. Other members of the group, who were assigned to shoot Gandhi in the ensuing melee, developed cold feet and did not act.

3RD ATTEMPT ON GANDHI JI'S LIFE ****************************************************The third attempt happened when Gandhi’s talks with Jinnah started in September 1944. When Gandhi was leaving for Mumbai from Sevagram Ashram, a group of fanatic Hindu youth led by Nathuram Godse tried to stop him. Their contention was that Gandhi should not travel to Mumbai to hold talks with Jinnah. Nathuram was again found in possession of a dagger

2ND ATTEMPT ON GANDHIJI'S LIFE **************************************On closer scrutiny, one finds that the attack in Panchagani was the second attempt on Gandhi’s life.

FIRST ATTACK ON GANDHI JI'S LIFE******************************The first one had happened in Pune (June 25, 1934) when Mahatma Gandhi was going to the Corporation Auditorium to deliver a speech. Kasturba Gandhi, his wife, was also accompanying him. Incidentally, the car in which the Gandhis were travelling developed some snag and was delayed, whereas the other car which was in their motorcade reached the venue on time, when a bomb was thrown at the car. The explosion caused injuries to some policemen and ordinary people.

It was worth noting that Jawaharlal Nehru as well as Gandhi’s two sons, who felt that the two men were merely pawns of the top Hindutva leaders, demanded commutation of their death sentence as they sincerely felt that executing the assassins would in fact dishonour their father’s legacy who was a staunch opponent of death penalty. Nathuram Godse as well as the other conspirator, Narayan Apte, were hanged at Ambala Jail on November 15, 1949.

A few people know the animosity of the Hindutva fanatics towards Gandhi, which was evident in the attempts on his life before Nathuram Godse’s final attempt. (Chunibhai Vaidya, a leading Gandhian from Gujarat, talked about a total of six attempts. Apart from the details of various attempts mentioned below, he talks about an attempt on his life in September 1946 too.) In fact, the attack in Panchgani was not the first time that they had tried to kill him.*************************************************** The first one had happened in Pune (June 25, 1934) when Mahatma Gandhi was going to the Corporation Auditorium to deliver a speech. Kasturba Gandhi, his wife, was also accompanying him. Incidentally, the car in which the Gandhis were travelling developed some snag and was delayed, whereas the other car which was in their motorcade reached the venue on time, when a bomb was thrown at the car. The explosion caused injuries to some policemen and ordinary people.********************************************* On closer scrutiny, one finds that the attack in Panchagani was the second attempt on Gandhi’s life.*********************************************** The third attempt happened when Gandhi’s talks with Jinnah started in September 1944. When Gandhi was leaving for Mumbai from Sevagram Ashram, a group of fanatic Hindu youth led by Nathuram Godse tried to stop him. Their contention was that Gandhi should not travel to Mumbai to hold talks with Jinnah. Nathuram was again found in possession of a dagger.**************************************************** The fourth attempt on Gandhi’s life (January 20, 1948) involved roughly the same group, namely, Madanlal Pahwa, Shankar Kistaiya, Digambar Badge, Vishnu Karkare, Gopal Godse, Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte. The plan was to attack Mahatma Gandhi and Huseyn Shaheed Suhrawardy. In this failed attempt, Madanlal Pahwa placed a cotton ball enclosing a bomb on the wall behind the podium in Birla Bhavan, where Gandhi was staying. The bomb went off without creating any panic, although Madanlal Pahwa was caught. Other members of the group, who were assigned to shoot Gandhi in the ensuing melee, developed cold feet and did not act.***************************************************************************** And the last one happened on January 30 at 5:17 pm when Nathuram Godse approached him and shot him three times in his chest at point-blank range. All those involved in the crime were arrested and tried in a court which attracted a lot of media attention. Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte were sentenced to death by the courts and others were awarded life imprisonment. As far as Savarkar was concerned, he was acquitted and set free due to lack of evidence.

A few people know the animosity of the Hindutva fanatics towards Gandhi, which was evident in the attempts on his life before Nathuram Godse’s final attempt. (Chunibhai Vaidya, a leading Gandhian from Gujarat, talked about a total of six attempts. Apart from the details of various attempts mentioned below, he talks about an attempt on his life in September 1946 too.)

“… our reports do confirm that, as a result of the activities of these two bodies, particularly the former (the RSS), an atmosphere was created in the country in which such a ghastly tragedy (Gandhi’s assassination) became possible. There is no doubt in my mind that the extreme section of the Hindu Mahasabha was involved in this conspiracy. The activities of the RSS constituted a clear threat to the existence of the government and the state. Our reports show that those activities, despite the ban, have not died down. Indeed, as time has marched on, the RSS circles are becoming more defiant and are indulging in their subversive activities in an increasing measure.”******************************************************************* (Sardar Patel’s letter to Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, July 18, 1948)

Gandhi’s great grandson Tushar Gandhi, in his book, Let’s Kill Gandhi, has mentioned the incident. He tells us how during that prayer meeting, Nathuram Godse, dressed in Nehru shirt, pajama and jacket, brandishing a dagger had rushed towards Gandhi.********************************************************************** “Godse was overpowered by Bhilare Guruji and Manishankar Purohit. Two youths accompanying Godse ran away.”.. ****************************************************************************************************** ..“(In) July 1944, after his release from Aga Khan Prison Camp in May 1944, Gandhi contracted malaria and was advised to rest by Physician.” ******************************************************************************************** .. “He retired to Panchgani, a mountain resort near Poona (now Pune), where he stayed at Dilkhush Bunglow. A group of 18 and 20 men reached Panchgani and held a day-long protest against Gandhi.”**************************************************************************************** ..“When Gandhi was informed about the demonstration, he contacted the leader of the group, Nathuram Vinayak Godse, for discussion. Nathuram rejected the invitation and continued the protest,”*****************************************************************************************************