Lets Kill Gandhi

by Gandhi, Tushar A.

  13.70 Other documents show that on the Dussehra day on October 3, 1938 Dr. Khare hoisted a flag of open rebellion against Gandhiji and uttered a curse upon him and on his philosophy.

  13.73 All this evidence put together shows that an atmosphere had been created in Alwar State which was anti-Congress and also anti- Gandhi; whether it was a purely anti-Gandhi movement is not easy to decide. However, Dr. Khare's antecedents and his encouragement to the RSS and to the militant Hindu Mahasabha leaders were indicative of conditions being produced which were conducive to strong anti-Gandhi activities.

  Chapter XIV deals with the investigations in Gwalior. Here it needs to be noted that the investigating officer sent to Gwalior was the infamous U.H. Rana. Even after taking his time in travelling between Delhi and Bombay, Rana committed a series of blunders which resulted in a smooth passage for Nathuram Godse in murdering Gandhi.

  14.1 Gopi Krishna Katarey who claims to have been an activepolitical worker in Gwalior for about 30 years stated in his affidavit,Ex. 91, that a month or two before the assassination of the Mahatmathere was a leading article in a weekly, which was the mouthpiece ofthe Hindu Mahasabha, that Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehrushould be murdered, and that the Hindu Mahasabha received thefull patronage of the Government of Gwalior. He also said that abouta fortnight before the murder of Mahatma Gandhi a cheque ofRs. 65,000 was given to one of the accused in the Gandhi murder caseto regroup Goondas and purchase arms to launch a murderous attackon the Congress workers who were demanding responsiblegovernment in Gwalior and that it was out of this fund that the pistolwith which the murderer shot Gandhiji was purchased. When thesematters came to light Sardar Patel hushed them up because theMaharani of Gwalior 'beseeched for forgiveness'. He added that it wasa tragedy that the real criminals who masterminded the murder werenot tried.

  14.4 The cheque referred to by him (Katarey) was given to Dr. Parchure. The Maharaja thought that the National Movement was a danger which should be fought. He, Katarey, had told Leela Dhar Joshi after he became premier of the state about the cheque and he said that he would consult Sardar Patel before doing anything. Subsequently, he was told that since the Maharaja had acceded, no action was called for. The witness was externed for some time and after he returned met a person who was anti-Congress and was doing anti- Congress propaganda. He had got Godse's statement published and he said that it was financed by Sardar Angre's son. His name was Gokhale and he was from Poona.

  14.7 Jetley, D.I.G., witness No. 55, had investigated into the Gwalior matters. He had gone to Gwalior because it had gone around that the Maratha Princes had something to do with the Maratha clique responsible for Gandhiji's murder.

  Chapter XV deals with Poona. The commission has carried out a very detailed study of the situation in Poona from 1947 onwards. Poona was described as a stronghold of the Hindu Mahasabha. Out of the eight accused in the Gandhi murder case the principal four accused belonged to Poona, VR. Karkare was their close associate and VD. Savarkar, their mentor and inspiration.

  15.14 The Bombay Provincial Weekly Letter, Ex. 155, of 5 July 1947, shows that there was a bomb explosion on 26 June 1947 in Poona city. The matter went up to the premier, B.G. Kher, and on 9 July 1947 his remarks were, 'was not the Editor of Agranee arrested? I would like to know progress.' On what basis the Agranee was brought in is shown by the statement of Morarji Desai that there was some information indicative of the editor's connection with such subversive activities. Upon this the Home Department, Bombay, sent an express letter, dated 12 July 1947, to the District Magistrate, Poona, Ex. 156, asking for progress of the investigation. It enquired whether the editor of the Agranee was also arrested in connection therewith, adding that the Government should be kept informed as to the investigation into the matter. After a fortnight or so of the letter, the District Magistrate, on 29 July, sent his reply, Ex. 157, about the bomb explosion and enclosed therewith a report of the D.S.P, Poona, dated 23 July 1947, Ex. 157A, in which the details of the bomb explosion of 26 June were given which were to the effect that N.R. Athawale, Secretary of the Poona City Hindu Mahasabha was arrested in connection with the bomb explosion; that he had made a confessional statement under Section 164 Cr.P.C. to the effect that the bomb (hand grenade) had been given to him by N.D. Apte of the Agranee; that he (Athawale) threw the bomb from the second storey of the library; that Athawale's house was searched but nothing incriminating was found; and that against Athwale and Apte information was laid under section 4 of the Explosives Substance Act (Exs. 157 and 157A) and 'their trial was awaited'.

  15.17 On 3 September 1947, the District Magistrate, S.G. Barve, gave sanction for the withdrawal of the case against Athawale and Apte under Section 494, Cr. PC. The public prosecutor was directed to put in the application for withdrawal which he did and the case was thus withdrawn.

  This case is very important in connection with the Gandhi murder conspiracy. Later on under the Chapter dealing with Ahmednagar it is stated that the hand grenade used in Poona by Athawale who confessed that it was given to him by Apte, was from the same batch of hand grenades exploded at Kapda Bazaar in Ahmednagar in which the involvement of Vishnu Karkare and Madanlal Pahwa was suspected. Thus an association between Godse and Apte of Poona and Karkare and Pahwa of Ahmednagar was established. The bomb case also established the fact that Godse and Apte of Agranee were known to use arson as a technique of protest. But one more association going back by about over a decade which links this bomb explosion more closely to Mahatma Gandhi. Athawale in his confession had said that he was asked to toss the grenade from the second story of the library. In 1935 a bomb was thrown on the motorcade bringing Gandhi to the Corporation Auditorium in Poona. Gandhi was saved since the car carrying him and Kasturba was detained at the level crossing for a couple of minutes. When the lead car reached the auditorium it was assumed that Gandhi had arrived, the band started playing the welcome note, just then a hand grenade was thrown from the second floor terrace. This incident has been described by an eyewitness. The modus operendi in both the cases is the same and a person convicted in the murder of Mahatma Gandhi has been named in one of the incidents.

  15.18 The Commission had before it the DSP of Poona as witness No. 38 and is not very happy about his evidence. He stated that the Agranee or the Hindu Rashtra did not preach violence and he had no knowledge if the Agranee was stopped. It never came to his knowledge that either Apte or Nathuram Godse preached violence or indulged in any illegal activities. But there is nothing on record to show what energetic steps, if any, were taken to make a thorough investigation into the origin, possession and use or misuse of the bomb.

  After this the Commission has made a very startling charge showing the attitude of officialdom towards the Kapur Commission. At the end of Para 15.20 of the report it is mentioned that—'And although officers of the Commission were able to make a successful search in the Record Rooms of the Delhi Collectorate, they were unable to do so in Poona and Ahmednagar'.

  15.28 In two issues of the Agranee and the Hindu Rashtra there is a clear indication of incitement to violence. In Ex. 233-A the issue of Agranee dated April 12, 1947, one of the captions is 'Mahatma Gandhi, Commit Suicide' and epithets like 'his cowardly philosophy', 'his cowardly and worthless non-violence' were used towards him. He was also called 'Sokaji' and it was said that he should commit suicide. If not he should bid good-bye forever to Indian politics.

  15.29 In the same issue of the Hindu Rashtra, Ex. 233 of September 7, 1947, it was said, 'And if anyone has really the urge for Akhand Hindustan (lit. Undivided India) and if a feeling of sacrificing one's own life for its sake has been created, then do not strike at a wrong place! The flood of Indian bravery will in no time integrate the whole India into one'.

  15.30 All this shows that the writings in the Agranee or the Hindu Rashtra were strongly anti-Gandhi but were so worded in Marathi so that they did not come within the purview of the Indian Penal Code, i.e. incitement to murder.

  15.31 There were some speeches
made which were also inflammatory. Dr. Parchure in his speech, Ex. 131, said that 'Gandhiji and Nehru will surely reap the fruits of their sins in a short time if the attitude assumed by them is continued'.

  15.32 At another meeting on the following day, i.e., December 3, 1947, Ex. 206, G.V. Ketkar presided and he said that they should consider Gandhiism-cum-False Nationalism as their enemy No.1. This speech by Ketkar also shows his attitude towards Gandhi's philosophy though it need not be termed as being against Gandhi himself.

  HINDU RASHTRA DAL

  15.34 In 1942 an organisation known as the Hindu Rashtra Dal was formed with V.D. Savarkar as its dictator (Ex. 34 dated 1 August 1944) and its original organisers were Date, Gogte, N.D. Apte and N.V. Godse. The aims and object of the movement were the furtherance of the Hindu Sabha activities. This document also shows that in May 1943 Apte and Godse organised its second annual training camp at which volunteers from various Maratha districts, Bombay city and Maratha Indian states such as Sangli, Miraj and Indore were present. It also shows that Savarkar was the chief architect and force behind the Dal. He laid down the policy and exhorted its volunteers to show and give implicit allegiance to him as the sole director.

  15.36 On May 22, 1947, ex. 54, a document which deals with the Hindu Rashtra Dal was issued by Rao Saheb Gurtu, for D.I.G., C.I.D. Poona to all D.S.Ps. and district magistrates, the objective of this document was to warn the district authorities against the attempts to revive and to revitalise the Dal. There was a meeting on 3 July 1947 in the Tilak Samrak Mandir (Ex.112) under the auspices of the Poona City Hindu Sabha , where about 5000 persons were present to observe the anti-Partition Day as a 'Kalaa Divas' Black Day. L.B. Bhopatkar of Poona presided. The speakers included G.V Ketkar and N.V. Godse besides other local leaders of the Hindu Sabha movement. Ketkar expressed his gratification at the successes of the observance of the Black Day and Godse said that the time for action had arrived.

  15.38 On 8 August 1947 a letter, Ex. 113, was issued by the government to the D.I.G., C.I.D., Poona and the commissioner of Police, Bombay asking for the list of officers and members of the RSS and leaders of Hindu Mahasabha organisations and directing them to keep a strict watch on the operations of these two movements and send reports regarding that matter. This appears to be based on the note of B.G. Kher and Desai, Ex 177, dated 7th August 1947. Pursuant thereto a list was prepared and sent on August 19, 1947, Ex.114.

  15.39 Likewise a similar list, Ex.ll4A, was prepared about Ahmednagar, which is a very important document. Amongst the Hindu Sabha workers at Poona there were N.V. Godse, N.D. Apte, the later shown as potentially dangerous and a staunch Savarkarite organizer of the Hindu Rashtra Dal, the activities of the former were of a similar nature. Other members were G.V. Ketkar, also a staunch Savarkarite, editor of the Maratha and a trustee of the Kesari Maratha Trust and described as the brain behind the Hindu Sabha activities. Another member was N.R. Athawale shown as a co-worker of N.D. Apte potentially dangerous who was arrested under Section 3 of the Explosives Substances Act. Another person was D.R. Badge who is shown as proprietor of the Hindu Shastra Bhandar dealing in unlicensed weapons, a staunch Hindu Mahasabharatha and against whom there were two prosecutions under the Arms Act and was potentially dangerous. There is also another list of the Poona District Hindu Mahasabha leaders. That also includes N.V. Godse, N.D. Apte, G.V. Ketkar, N.R. Athawale and several other Maharashtrians.

  15.40 Even at the expense of repetition it may be stated that this is a document which would show the close association of Apte, Godse, Badge and others with an active Savarkar Group which is really repetitive of what the documents relating to 1942 and 1944 showed. The association was thus old.

  JAYPRAKASH NARAYAN'S SPEECH:

  15.44 On November 26, 1947, a meeting was held in Kirkee Bazaar attended by about a thousand persons. It was addressed by Jayprakash Narayan, the Socialist leader (Ex.122). In this speech, Narayan wanted the arsenal and ammunition factory workers to know the then prevailing politics. He said that the Muslim League had achieved Pakistan at the cost of the poor Muslims and that the rich capitalist Mohammedans had run away to Pakistan. He exhorted others not to drive away the Muslims and thus create more enemies and that it was the rulers of Indian States, the Rajas and Maharajas, who were trying to create trouble amongst Hindu and Muslim labourers in order to strengthen their own position. Further that the Army personnel were citizens of the country and had a right to take part in politics. He described the evil of communalism which according to him was still prevailing in the Army which he deduced from rioting and killing which was being done by the Armed forces. This is a matter upon which the Commission is not called upon to express its opinion but perhaps the Defence Forces would not relish this accusation against them.

  PARCHURE'S SPEECH:

  15.45 There was a meeting in the Tilak Samrak Mandir, Poona on2 December 1947 (Ex.131). The Chief Speaker was Dr. D.S. Parchure of Gwalior who was convicted in the Gandhi Murder Conspiracy Case but was acquitted on appeal. He was described as a second Savarkar and that so great was his influence that on every mosque in Gwalior flew the Bhagva flag. In his speech Dr. Parchure, after referring to the state of affairs in Gwalior, advocated the use of force to achieve whatever they wanted. He also said that Gwalior Army was full of Muslims who were in a majority and that the State was increasing the Muslim elements and that the Adviser Srinivasan had advised the Ruler that Parchure and his followers 'were like dogs'. The trend of the speech was anti-Congress and extremely anti-Muslim. He criticised Pandit Nehru's policy as regards Kashmir and pointed out the quiescence of Hindus in the face of Mohammedan aggressiveness. In the end he made a significant remark, the importance of which was perhaps not then appreciated, that 'Gandhi and Nehru would surely reap the fruits of their sins in a short time'. This speech was made in Hindi and because there was no Hindi shorthand reporter in the police, it could not be taken down verbatim and was reproduced from memory by the police reporters who were present. When a report of this went to Government they wanted a more authentic report of the speech but there could be nothing better because of the speech not being in Marathi.

  KETKAR'S SPEECH:

  15.47 on 3 December 1947, there was a meeting presided over by G.V. Ketkar (Ex. 206). In this speech he described Gandhiism as enemy No.1 showing thereby that his attitude of mind was not very different from that of the other members of the Savarkar Group in regard to Gandhian philosophy. Of course, it does not mean that he was equally a votary of violence or protagonist of murder.

  15.48 An abstract of intelligence (Ex.121) dated 27 December 1947, shows that on December 18, the Poona Police raided the house of R.J. Deshmukh who had close contact with R.S. Khanolkar and recovered from there stengun cartridges, rifle cartridges, revolver cartridges, bombs and hand grenade shells and also a bottle containing arsenic tri-chloride, an explosive substance. In connection with this find five persons were arrested and investigations made but the second paragraph of the report states that the collection of arms and ammunition was to facilitate the people in the Hyderabad struggle which, it appears, was a handy cover for the collection of arms by this group of people to which Godse etc. belonged and was an easy façade to hide their real intentions and objectives.

  15.49 On 22 March 1947 on the eve of New Year's Day, (Hindu Calendar) Gudi Padva, an objectionable pamphlet, Ex. 265A, advocating terrorism of Savarkar type was distributed at the Railway Stations, Shivaji Nagar and Dehu but the police could not discover where they were printed and who distributed them.

  GOPAL GODSE:

  15.50 Gopal Godse, witness No. 33, has published certain articles regarding the murder of Mahatma Gandhi. In Ex. 56 in the monthly journal, the Painjan, of August 1966, he said that it was difficult for the officials to think that a person who had failed once to assassinate Gandhiji would not dare to make another attempt because of the arrest of one person and the likely arrest of others within a few days and a strong cordon of security men around Gandhiji. He has added that t
here was complacency shown by security police in carrying out investigation between 20th and 30th January 1948. 'The police miserably failed to derive any advantage from the statements, i.e. of Jain and Madanlal. If only they had shown keenness in investigation the tragedy would have been avoided. In spite of all the precautions there are things such as luck, chance or suitability of circumstances. A person gets an opportunity many a time just by luck.'

  15.51 Ex. 57, issue of that journal of September 1966, deals with the subject when the plot could have been hatched. The issue of November-December, 1966 of that journal is Ex. 55 under the heading 'Gandhi Murder and Maulana Azad'. Gopal Godse has said that Nathuram Godse did not like the murder of Gandhiji and both he and Apte would have laid down their lives to prevent Partition and to protect the life of Gandhiji and he blamed Maulana Azad for creating trouble between Sardar Patel and Pt. Nehru through, as it were, Gandhiji. He blamed Maulana Azad for being the author of the conditions which were laid down by Mahatma Gandhi for breaking his fast.

  REPLY TO JAYPRAKASH NARAYAN'S SPEECH:

  15.53 Ex. 71 is the report of the proceedings of the meeting of the Hindu Mahasabha at Shivaji Mandir held at 6.30 pm on November 28,1947, where about 2000 people were present and the speakers were V.B. Gogte and N.V. Godse and the subject on which speeches were made was 'Hindu Nation and Jayprakash Narayan'. The speakers twitted Jayprakash Narayan about his socialism and ridiculed his attack on the Hindu Mahasabha and the RSS and accused the Socialists of hypocrisy and also spoke about atrocities of Muslims on Hindu women and accused the Socialists of helping in the creation of Pa kistan and the Partition of India and its consequences.