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Alphabetical Order
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GODSE, NATHURAM VINAYAK (1911--1949).  Nathuram belonged to a brahman family of Poona, was intensely proud of Hindu culture and looked on Veer Savarkar as his hero. He became a member of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and of the Hindu Mahasabha. He founded a paramilitary organization within the RSS during World War II and was the editor of two Mahasabha journals, Agrani and Hindu Rashtra. Nathuram was a militant activist, bitterly critical of Mahatma Gandhi and the Indian National Congress for what he interpreted as "emasculation of the Hindu community" by the doctrine of ahimsa, or non-violence, and "pro-Muslim bias." He saw Partition in 1947 and Gandhi's January 1948 resolve to fast to the death for the sake of Hindu-Muslim unity within India as insulting and harmful to the "Hindu Nation."
Nathuram Godse shot Mahatma Gandhi dead after bowing to him at his daily prayer meeting in New Delhi on the evening of January 30, 1948. Godse neither ran away nor killed himself and was immediately apprehended. He argued his own case with conspicuous ability at the trial conducted by a special court, denying involvement in a conspiracy with the others accused of an earlier explosion on January 20 and giving vent to his thoughts on defending the Hindu community and ridding it of Mahatma Gandhi. The court passed judgement of guilty on Godse and his young associate Narayan Apte and sentenced them to death on February 10, 1949 of the other eight accused, Savarkar was acquitted, one was given a pardon, and six were transported for life. Godse was executed by hanging on November 15, 1949.
Nathuram Godse's final statement on Gandhi (completely unedited)
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