Delving into Gandhi killer's mind | Godse Cult

MURDER MOST FOUL: The book, The Men Who Killed Gandhi, authored by Manohar Malgonkar, delves into the psyche of the killers.

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New Delhi: January 30, 1948: Mahatma Gandhi — the messiah of peace, the propounder of ahimsa or non-violence whose only weapon was non-violence — meets a violent end.

But why was MK Gandhi, lovingly called Bapu, assassinated? And why are 'the men who killed Gandhi' considered martyrs by some?

A book, The Men Who Killed Gandhi, authored by Manohar Malgonkar, delves into the psyche of the killers and tries to answer some of those questions.

The Men Who Killed Gandhi, first published in 1978, is a seminal work which investigates and unearths facts, rare pictures and documents that startle the reader. Informative and pacy, the book reads like a thriller about a well-laid murder plan.

With some psycho-analysis, the writer delves into the mind of the killer, Nathuram Godse, and his accomplice Narayan Apte going on to reveal several new facts. For instance, the author claims that Nathuram was raised as a girl by his parents, complete with the piercing of his nose to put a 'nath' and hence the name Nathuram.

Taking an objective view, the book states that both Godse and Apte, as was evident in Godse's rhetorical justification of the crime during the famous 'Red Fort Trial', were pledged to the cause of an Independent and undivided India. "Their ideologies influenced many and still continue to sway some," the author says.

"Gandhi was not an enemy for Nathuram. Still he chose to kill him. Why? He did it for the state. We all have a duty for the state. The interest of the state has to always remain ahead of anything else," Nathuram Godse's nephew Mana Godse explains.

The 11th edition of The Men Who Killed Gandhi will be released by Roli books on February 2.

Manohar Malgonkar may not give a scholarly stimulation, but it's the journalistic approach, simplicity of language and passion of the author attempting to bring out the true story of the 'the men who killed Gandhi' without being smeared by any political colour — that's what leaves a lasting impression.