Martyrs' Day 2021: Why Was Mahatma Gandhi Assassinated, Who Was Nathuram Godse

Despite his peaceful methods, Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on January 30th, 1948 only eight months after India's independence.

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New Delhi: Known as the 'Father of the Nation', Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was lovingly called Mahatma Gandhi or Bapu. On January 30th 1948, Gandhi was assassinated by Nathuram Godse. Mahatma Gandhi was lawyer turned politician, and he was a social reformer and a nationalist. He was one of the most prominent figures in the Indian Freedom struggle, his ways were about non-violence and resistance. He was revered for his peaceful methods, despite which he was shot by Godse thrice in the chest and abdomen in the Birla House compound in Delhi. 

Who was Godse
Godse who was a member of the Hindu Mahasabha was of the opinion that Gandhi favoured Muslims over Hindus during Partition. 
After dropping out of high school Nathuram Godse became a part of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (R.S.S), which is a Hindu nationalist, paramilitary organization, and the political party Hindu Mahasabha. Godse did not believe in one god which was primary to all of Gandhi’s teachings. On January 30, 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was walking into the lawn to meet a crowd that was awaiting him after one of his evening prayers. In the crowd Godse and Narayan Apte, his friend and co-conspirator waited to assassinate him. Godse appeared in front of Gandhi, bent to touch his feet after which he shot Gandhi point-blank. They were arrested along with 6 other co-conspirators and the trial for the murder of Gandhi went on for a whole year. He was sentenced to death on November 8, 1949 and was hanged on November 15, 1949, along with Apte.

On Martyr's Day or 'Shaheed Diwas', the president, the vice president, the prime minister, the defence minister of the country and the three Service Chiefs (Army, Air Force and Navy) lay wreaths made of multi-colour flowers at his Samadhi at Raj Ghat in Delhi. A two minute silence is observed at 11 AM to remember 'Bapu' and the other matrys who laid their life on the line for the freedom of India.