Gandhians: Opportunity to prove RSS role in Gandhi’s assassination

The case against the RSS for its role in the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi should be re-opened, feels prominent Gandhian scholar and President of Gandhi Peace Foundation, Kumar Prashant. The case instituted against Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi by an RSS activist for saying that it was behind the assassination, he feels, provides an opportunity to re-assess the evidence against RSS. The judiciary, he says, ought to take notice of the case on its own.

“It is a historical opportunity. What could not be proved at that time, can be done today. At least people of this country will come to know about what RSS did and how Godse brothers lied,” he told National Herald today.

On a day when the Prime Minister and other dignitaries converged at Rajghat in the capital to pay their respect to the Father of the Nation, the Congress Vice President was appearing in a court in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra to defend himself in the case instituted by an RSS activist alleging that the Congress leader’s assertion was baseless and defamatory.

“Denial is not sufficient to prove innocence,” says Kumar Prashant. While Nathuram Godse did deny his links to the RSS, his brother Gopal Godse, soon after he was released, asserted in his first interview that the brothers had lied because they were under instruction not to reveal the truth and because they wanted to save the RSS, the scholar recalled.

Noted political scientist and scholar Shamsul Islam told National Herald, “How do we know that one particular activist is not from RSS ? Let them prove it. Godse was very much from RSS, and though they deny it but the onus is on them. They must give answers and show their clean hands, not the Congress Vice President.”

RSS, he conceded, does not keep any record, which makes it difficult to nail them in a court of law. “But there are thousands of evidence strewn all over the place,” he added.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, he declared, had never given any clean chit to the RSS. In a letter to Jawaharlal Nehru, he wrote that while it was difficult to prove the involvement of the RSS, there were enough linkages to indicate that the assassination was the handiwork of right wing militants working secretly with RSS.

In an open letter Shamsul Islam had addressed to then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in 2013, Prof Islam had this to say:

“Nathuram Godse and others who conspired to kill M.K. Gandhi, claimed to be ‘Hindu Nationalists’. They described killing as something ordained by God. RSS celebrated his killing by distributing sweets. Are they not revered by the Hindutva camp? Aren’t you one of them?”

“When you were in Goa in June 2013 for the BJP executive committee meeting, you sent a message to the ‘All India Hindu Convention for Establishment of Hindu Nation’ organised by the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti (HJS). Your message read: “Even though every Hindu conducts himself with love, compassion and intimacy with god, giving precedence to non-violence, truth and “satvikta”, repelling demoniacal tendencies is in our destiny. It is our tradition to remain alert and raise a voice against persecution…Only by protecting our culture, can the flag of “dharma” and unity be kept intact. Organisations inspired by nationalism, patriotism and devotion for the Nation are true manifestations of people’s power.”

“You must have sent this intimate fraternal message to the HJS knowing them well. Shockingly, from the same dais from where your felicitation message was read out, one of the prominent speakers, K.V. Sitaramiah, declared that Gandhi was ‘terrible, wicked and most sinful’.”

“Rejoicing in the killing of M.K. Gandhi, he went on to declare, “As Bhagwan Shri Krishna said in the Gita, Paritranaya Sadhunam Vinashaya Cha Dushkritam/ Dharamasansthapnaya Sambhavami Yuge-Yuge (For the protection of the good, for the destruction of the wicked and for the establishment of righteousness, I am born in every age) On…30th January 1948 evening, Shriram came in the form of Nathuram Godse and ended the life of Gandhi.”

The complete letter can be read here.

With inputs from NH Political Bureau.