Nathuram Godse

N.Godse (1910-1949)

Nathuram Vinayak Godse (Marathi: नथुराम गोडसे, May 19, 1910 – November 15, 1949) was an Indian Nationalist, Activist, and the man who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi.

Nathuram Godse
Nathuram Godse at his trial for the murder of Mahatma Gandhi
Born(1910-05-19)19 May 1910
Died15 November 1949(1949-11-15) (aged 39)
Ambala Prison, Punjab Province, Dominion of India
(present day Haryana, India)
NationalityIndian
Known forAssassination of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
Group photo of people accused in the murder of Mahatma Gandhi. Standing (L to R): Shankar Kistaiya, Gopal Godse, Madan Lal Pahwa, Digambar Ramchandra Badge. Seated (L to R): Narayan Apte, Vinayak Damodar Savarkar, Nathuram Godse, Vishnu Karkare

Biography change

Nathuram Godse was born at Baramati, Pune District, British India. His father was Vinayak Vaman Rao Godse, his mother was Lakshmi (Godavari before marriage). His father was a fifteen-rupee-a-month employee of the post office. He would drop out of high school and become an activist for the party Hindu Mahasabha

Killing of Mahatma Gandhi change

Motive change

The immediate motive for the assassination is usually ascribed to Gandhi's January 13, 1948 decision to fast to the death unless the Indian central government reversed a decision to withhold the transfer of 55 crore (550 million) rupees to the government of Pakistan. The transfer had been specified in the partition agreement, but the Indian government had refused to complete it, complaining of continued Pakistani rebel occupation of disputed parts of Kashmir.

The Indian government immediately reversed its decision to withhold the funds, which infuriated Godse and his fellow Hindu nationals.

The decision to assassinate Gandhi was taken by Godse alone. The Mahasabha resolutely denied all complicity, and Godse took full responsibility.

Attack change

Godse assassinated Gandhi on January 30, 1948, approaching him during the evening prayer, bowing, and shot him three times at close range. Godse was convicted of murdering Gandhi, for which he was executed by hanging.

Other websites change