‘Godse killed Gandhi after three-day training with Scindia estate's gun,’ says Hindu Mahasabha office-bearer

"Gandhi's assassinator Nathuram Godse and Narayan Rao Apte trained themselves with Scindia estate’s pistol for three days in Gwalior before killing Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi," national vice president of Hindu Mahasabha, Jaiveer Bharadwaj claimed in Gwalior on Saturday.

Bharadwaj said this while addressing the media after an event organised to oppose the 152nd birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in Gwalior’s Hindu Mahasabha office.

A small seminar over ‘Godse and Apte’s contribution for country’ was also organised where slogans like ‘Godse Zindabad, Apte zindabad’ were raised after garlanding their photos.

Bharadwaj said that Godse and Apte had taken a pledge to assassinate Mahatma Gandhi and Mohammed Ali Jinnah as they held both responsible for the partition of the country. “They took oath in Pune and came to Gwalior where they rehearsed with the pistol of Scindia Rajvansh for three days. They were to kill both Jinnah and Gandhi, but they got arrested after killing Gandhi,” Singh told reporters.

“We will ensure that the temple of Hutatma Nathuram Godse will be built across the country,” he further said, adding that India should be declared as a Hindu Rashtra soon.

This is not the first time that Scindia family’s name has surfaced in the context of Gandhi’s assassination.

According to a book titled “The Murder, The Monarch and the Fakir: A New Investigation of Mahatma Gandhi’s Assassination” written by Appu Esthose Suresh and Priyanka Kotamraju, Mahatma Gandhi was killed by Nathuram Godse on January 30, 1948, with an Italian-made automatic pistol no-719791, Beretta CAL9, manufactured in 1934. The pistol was arranged by a well-known Gwalior-based doctor Dattatreya Parchure, it said. (https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/beretta-gun-gwalior-link-and-gandhis-assassination/articleshow/86679050.cms)

The book has a full chapter titled "The Beretta Gun that Killed Gandhi", describing how the weapon was chosen.

"After a failed assassination attempt on January 20, 1948, it was decided that Gandhi had to be killed before February 2 as he was going out of Delhi after that day. Godse had a gun but it wasn't good. He and Narayan Apte, who was in charge of the logistics, had come to Gwalior to seek Parchure's help in getting a good revolver,” the book says.

“On January 28, the Beretta gun was bought in Gwalior from arms dealer Gangadhar Dandwate at Parchure's house... Godse and Apte took turns to check the pistol, take out its magazine and fill it with seven cartridges. Then they tried the safety catch. It was good to go. Apte paid Dandwate 300 rupees. He would send the balance (Rs 200) later, he said,'' the book says.

"Then Apte went out for dinner while Godse skipped the meal altogether. At 10.30 p.m., Godse and Apte packed their bedding and bag. Dandwate hailed a tonga passing by; Godse and Apte went off on their way. Two things were certain - there was a gun and a gunner to kill Mahatma Gandhi," it says.

Godse, who was convicted for killing the father of the nation, was hanged to death on November 15, 1949 and his supporters observed the day as 'sacrifice day.'

Launching a ccathing attack on the BJP, Congress spokesperson KK Mishra said, "Defaming Gandhi has become daily affairs for Hindu Mahasabha in Madhya Pradesh but not only police administration but the state Government has turned blind eye to this humiliation."

"Previously they tried to open a Godse Temple but police prevented it. However, no action has been taken against them," Mishra lamented, adding that not only on 2 October but on various other occasions they celebrate the assassination of Gandhi and praise Godse. “This must stop because it's tarnishing India's image in the world,” he said.

Earlier this year, on January 11, Hindu Mahasabha opened a 'Gyan Shala' study centre dedicated to Nathuram Godse in Gwalior to ‘educate’ the youth about aspects of partition of India. "This study centre will inform the young generation about aspects of partition of India and spread knowledge on various national leaders," Jaiveer Bharadwaj had told the media.