The following text is based on the book Hatyakand (The Story of Gandhi’s Murder), a good work in Hindi giving a minute–by–minute account of the Gandhi murder trial.

The First Attempt: Bomb thrown at Pune
25th June 1934, Pune: During the Harijan Yatra in 1934, the Mahatma visited Pune. On 25th June he was to deliver a speech at the Corporation Auditorium. The Mahatma and Kasturba were travelling in a motorcade consisting of two similar cars. At one place en route the car in which the Gandhis were travelling was detained at a railway level crossing.

The first car arrived at the auditorium and the welcoming committee assumed that the Gandhis had arrived and stepped forward to welcome them. Just then a bomb was thrown at the car which exploded, grievously injuring the chief officer of the municipal corporation, two policeman and seven others.

The bomb was reportedly hurled by anti–Gandhi Hindu extremists as mentioned by Mahatma’s secretary Pyarelal in his book, The Last Phase, and by his biographer BG Tendulkar. Pyarelal has written: “This time their attempt was very well planned and executed to perfection….” Implying that the attempts before 25th June 1934 failed due to lack of planning and co–ordination. And also that the murderers were getting better with each attempt.

Pyarelal has said: “These people kept photographs of Gandhi, Nehru and other Congress leaders in their shoes. They were trained to shoot by using Gandhiji’s photograph as their target, these were the same people who later murdered the Mahatma while he was striving to bring peace to a riot ravaged Delhi, in 1948.”

After the attack, speaking at the function to felicitate him, the Mahatma said: “It is sad that this happened while I am working for the uplift of the Harijans. I have no desire for martyrdom as yet, but if it is to happen I am prepared to face it. But in trying to kill me why are they inconsiderate to the innocents who are likely to be killed or injured along with me? My wife and three young girls who are like daughters to me were travelling in the car with me. How have they angered you?”

The attacker escaped and there is no record of investigations or arrests. This was the first documented attempt in India on the life of the Mahatma. Many historians have alleged that this was the work of the Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte gang. This gang was involved in several other bomb attacks on other opponents of their Hindutva and dominance of the upper caste ideology.

(http://web.mahatma.org.in/attempts/attempt0.asp)

First published on Communalism Combat, October 2000
 

The post The First Attempt: Bomb thrown at Pune at Gandhi on June 25,1934 appeared first on SabrangIndia.

महात्मा गांधी की हत्या की 68वीं बरसी पर उनके प्रपौत्र तुषार गांधी ने अब भी इस उथलपुथल भरे देश के राष्ट्रपिता के तौर पर बरकरार बापू के प्रति मौजूदा सरकार और संघ परिवार के व्यवहार का एक जायजा लिया है।
 
तुमने हमें 1947 में फाइनल सॉल्यूशन की इजाजत नहीं दी। तुम हिंदू राष्ट्र और हमारे बीच आ गए। हमने तुमसे छुटकारा पाने के लिए अपने आदमी भेजे। लेकिन अड़ियल बुड्ढे, सीने में गोलियां दागने के बावजूद तुम मरने से इनकार करते रहे। लेकिन अब हमें तुम्हें बिल्कुल नहीं चाहते। हम तुम्हारे हत्यारों की पूजा करते हैं। हमने उन्हें सत्ता भी दे दी है। तुमने अपनी गरीबी, सादे जीवन से हमें शर्मसार किया है। हम आडंबर, दिखावा और धूम-धड़ाके में विश्वास करते हैं। सच, ईमानदारी और नैतिकता आउटडेटेड हो चुकी हैं। अब हमें इन चीजों की बिल्कुल जरूरत नहीं है। गांधी, तुम भाड़ में जाओ।

हमने तुम्हारा चश्मा भी रख लिया है। ताकि तुम हमारी कलुषित आत्मा और हमारे खून से सने हाथ नहीं देख सको।

हम अब स्वच्छ भारत की बात करते हैं, इसलिए अब हमें स्वच्छ आत्मा, स्वच्छ आचरण, स्वच्छ जीवन पर तुम्हारे उपदेश की कोई जरूरत नहीं है। हमें अब तुम्हारे शब्दों की जरूरत नहीं है। हम तो अब जुमलों के आदी हो चुके हैं। तुम भाड़ में जाओ गांधी। 

तुम्हारा सादा जीवन और गरीबी अपनाना अब हमें प्रभावित नहीं करता। हमें तो अब लाखों का सूट पसंद आता है। तुम्हारी खद्दर की धोती पहनने से अब हमें शर्म आती है। अब हम अतुल्य भारतीय हैं। गांधी, तुम तो भाड़ में जाओ।

हमने तुम्हारा चश्मा ले लिया था। अब हमें खादी के लिए भी एक नया पोस्टर ब्वॉय मिल गया है। वह चरखे के साथ काफी अच्छा पोज देता है और बड़ा कूल लगता है। तुमने तो चरखा कात कर सिर्फ अपना वक्त गंवाया है। तुम्हारे नाम पर तो अब खद्दर भी नहीं बिकती। पॉली वस्त्रों को बेचने वाला अब हमें एक नया सेल्समैन मिल गया है। इसलिए तुम भाड़ में जाओ।

गांधी तुम खद्दर की धोती पहन कर बंकिघम पैलेस चले गए गए थे। इसलिए ब्रिटिश पीएम ने खीज में तुम्हें अधनंगा फकीर कह दिया था। तुम अपनी सिकुड़ी छाती लेकर बेशर्मी से वहां पहुंच गए। तुमने हमें शर्मसार किया। हमारे नए सुप्रीम नेता को तो अपनी 56 इंच की छाती पर गर्व है। और वह डिजाइनर जैकेट पहनना पसंद करता है। लिहाजा गांधी अब हमें तुम्हारी जरूरत नहीं है। तुम भाड़ में जाओ।

करेंसी पर तुम्हारी तस्वीर ने हमारा मान घटाया है। हमारे नेता बेहद साफगोई के साथ इस तथ्य को स्वीकार करते हैं। हम वहां से भी तुम्हें धीरे-धीरे हटा देंगे क्योंकि हमारे सुप्रीम नेता कैशलेस इंडिया और पेटीएम को प्रमोट कर रहे हैं और जिसमें तुम्हारी तस्वीर नहीं होती। गांधी अब तुम भाड़ में जाओ।

तुम्हारा ‘सिक’ यूलिरिज्म ने हमें बहुत  परेशान किया है और ‘मियाओं’ को बेधड़क बना दिया है। अब तो हमारे नेता ने दिखा दिया है कि मुस्लिमों को मारना ठीक है। वह कहते हैं कि मुसलमानों के साथ ऐसा ही होना चाहिए। 2002 ने इसे साबित कर दिया है। हमने ऐसे नेताओं को सत्ता की चाबी देकर पुरस्कृत भी किया है। हमारे पास ऐसी अदालतें भी हैं जो कहती हैं कि किसी दूसरे धर्म के लोगों की हत्या करना स्वीकार्य है। यह कोई जघन्य अपराध नहीं है। अब कोई भी शख्स खून सने हाथ से सर्वोच्च पद की शपथ ले सकता है। गांधी अगर आज तुम आने की कोशिश करो और आमरण अनशन करो तो हम तुम्हें मरने से नहीं रोकेंगे। हमें तुम्हारा कोई परवाह नहीं है। तुम भाड़ में जाओ।

नैतिकता एक बुरा शब्द है। हम किचन से बाहर निकल कर जिंस और टी-शर्ट पहन कर बाहर आने वाली महिलाओं को पाठ पढ़ाने में इसका इस्तेमाल करते हैं। हम उनका रेप करते हैं और उन्हें याद दिलाते हैं कि वे सिर्फ बच्चा पैदा करने की मशीन हैं। हमारे यहां महिलाओं को अग्निपरीक्षा से गुजारने की परंपरा है। हम बड़े गर्व के साथ अपनी पुरानी परंपरा को दोबारा लाना चाहते हैं। तुम्हारा महिला सशक्तिकरण की बात भाड़ में जाए। हम चुनावों में दलितों का इस्तेमाल करते हैं लेकिन अपनी भूख मिटाने के लिए अगर वे फल खा लें या हमारे नल से प्यास बुझाने के लिए पानी पी लें तो उनका हाथ काट लेते हैं। इसलिए भाड़ में जाओ गांधी।

हमने तुम्हारा चश्मा और चरखा चुरा लिया है। हम तुम्हारी लाठी का इस्तेमाल उन लोगों को पीटने या झुकाने में करेंगे जो हमारे खिलाफ खड़े हैं। हम उनके खिलाफ मुकदमा करेंगे। उन्हें बदनाम करें और उन्हें पीटेंगे। गांधी हमें तुम्हारी अहिंसा की जरूरत नहीं है। हम तुम्हारे हत्यारे गोडसे की पूजा करते हैं। तुम भाड़ में जाओ।

तुम्हारा वक्त बीत चुका है भले ही तुम्हारी घड़ी 30 जनवरी, 1948 से सुबह के 5.17 का वक्त बता रही है। यह वह वक्त है, जब हमने तुम्हारे सीने में गोलियां दागने के लिए आदमी भेजा था। अब गोडसे का वक्त है। तुम्हारा वक्त बीत चुका है। हमने नौ मिमी की तीन गोलियां का जो उपहार तुम्हें दिया था, उसी से खुश रहो। हमें अब तुम्हारी जरूरत नहीं हो। भाड़ में जाओ।

अब एक ही जगह तुम्हारा स्वागत होगा और वह यह जगह है एयर इंडिया का वीआईपी प्लेन। हमारे सुप्रीम लीडर अक्सर अपने विदेश दौरे में इसका इस्तेमाल करते हैं। और दुर्भाग्य से उनका काम बापू के बगैर नहीं चलता।

इसलिए अतुल्य भारत से गांधी तुम तो दफा हो जाओ।

सुन ले बापू ये पैगाम, मेरी चिट्ठी तेरे नाम, चिट्ठी में सबसे पहले करता तुझको राम-राम……
 

The post गांधी, तुम भाड़ में जाओ! appeared first on SabrangIndia.

On January 30, 2017, the 68th anniversary of the killing of Mahatma Gandhi, his grandson, Tushar Gandhi re-visits the present regime and the Sangh Parivar's treatment of the Man who remains the Father of a Troubled Nation

You did not allow us to implement the final solution in 1947. You stood between us and Hindu Rashtra, we sent our man to get rid of you. But you stubborn old man you lived after we pumped lead into your chest. But now we don't want you any more. We worship your killer, we have put them in power too. You shamed us with your poverty, your simplicity, we now want opulence, ostentatiousness, bombast, your insistence on truth, honesty and morality is outdated. We don't want it any more. Get lost Gandhi.
 
We have taken away your spectacles so you can't see our filthy souls and blood stained hands any more.
 
We talk about Swachcha Bharat now we don't want your preachings about swachcha atma, swachcha aacharan, swachcha jeevan. We don't want any of your words any more we now are addicted to Joomlas. Get  lost Gandhi.
 
Your simplicity and voluntary poverty no longer impresses, we admire million rupee suits. Your Khaddar dhoti shames us. We are incredible Indians. Get lost Gandhi.
 
We took your Glasses, now we have a new poster boy for Khadi too, he poses so well with the charkha, makes it look so cool, and you, you actually wasted time spinning it, so gross! You can't even sell khaddar any more, we have a better salesman to sell Polyvastra. Get lost Gandhi.
 
Our new leader was on first name basis with the former POTUS, because he wore a one million suit to welcome him to Incredible India. Its so cool to call POTUS 'Barrak' and the British PM called you a 'Half Naked Faqeer' in disgust, so shameless you are you went to Buckingham Palace wearing a Khaddar Dhoti shamelessly exposing your pigeon chest. Our new supreme leader boasts of a macho '56 inch ki chaati' clad in designer jackets. We don't want you, get lost Gandhi.
 
Your image on our currency has devalued it. Our new leaders admit this with honesty. We will erase you from there too 'dheere dheere' as it is the supreme leader is promoting cashless India and Paytm does not carry your image, its brand ambassador is our Supreme Leader. Get lost Gandhi.
 
Your sickularism has for too long troubled us and emboldened the Miyas. Now our leaders have shown us that killing Muslims is ok, they asked for it, they deserved it, 2002 proved it, we even rewarded them with the keys to the Government. We are fed up of your Tushtikaran. We now have courts which say that killing someone from another religion is acceptable not a heinous crime. Now one can take oath of office with blood stained hands. Try coming back and fasting to death, we will let you die. Get lost Gandhi.
 
Morality is a bad word, we use it to teach women who step out of kitchens and wonder around shamelessly wearing jeans and Ts, how dare they. We rape them to remind them that they are baby producing machines, we have a tradition of putting our women through 'Agni Pariksha'. We are proudly reviving all our traditions. To hell with your talk of empowerment. We exploit Dalits at election time but chop off their hands if they take a fruit to quench their hunger or dare to take a few mouthfuls of water from our taps to quench their thirst. Get lost Gandhi.
 
We have stolen your Chasma and your Charkha we will use your Lathi to beat and subjugate all who dare to stand against us. We will prosecute them, we will defame them, we will hound them and we will beat them. We don't need your ahimsa any longer for too long has it emasculated us. We worship Godse your murderer. Get lost Gandhi.
 
Your time has gone even your watch stands stilled at 5:17pm since 30^th January 1948 when we sent our man to pump lead into your chest. Now its the time of Godse, the murderer. Your time is up. Be satisfied with the three 9mm bullets we presented to you keep them and be happy. We don't need you any more Gandhi, Get Lost!
 
The only place you are welcome to  stay is on Air India's VIP plane, our supreme leader uses on his frequent foreign jaunts. Unfortunately on his foreign jaunts he can't do without you Bapu.

But from Incredible India, Get Lost Gandhi!!
 
'Sunle Bapu ye paigaam, Meri chitthi tere naam, chitthi mein subse pehle karta tujh ko Ram Ram….'
 

The post Get Lost Gandhi appeared first on SabrangIndia.

Contrary to popular belief, there were many failed attempts on the life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the Mahatma. Out of these attempts five are well documented and involve the Pune branch of the Hindu Mahasabha. Three of which also point to the involvement of Narayan Apte and Nathuram Godse. 

The following text is based on the book Hatyakand (The Story of Gandhi’s Murder), a good work in Hindi giving a minute–by–minute account of the Gandhi murder trial. 

The First Attempt: Bomb thrown at Pune
25th June 1934, Pune: During the Harijan Yatra in 1934, the Mahatma visited Pune. On 25th June he was to deliver a speech at the Corporation Auditorium. The Mahatma and Kasturba were travelling in a motorcade consisting of two similar cars. At one place en route the car in which the Gandhis were travelling was detained at a railway level crossing.

The first car arrived at the auditorium and the welcoming committee assumed that the Gandhis had arrived and stepped forward to welcome them. Just then a bomb was thrown at the car which exploded, grievously injuring the chief officer of the municipal corporation, two policeman and seven others. 

The bomb was reportedly hurled by anti–Gandhi Hindu extremists as mentioned by Mahatma’s secretary Pyarelal in his book, The Last Phase, and by his biographer BG Tendulkar. Pyarelal has written: “This time their attempt was very well planned and executed to perfection….” Implying that the attempts before 25th June 1934 failed due to lack of planning and co–ordination. And also that the murderers were getting better with each attempt.
Pyarelal has said: “These people kept photographs of Gandhi, Nehru and other Congress leaders in their shoes. They were trained to shoot by using Gandhiji’s photograph as their target, these were the same people who later murdered the Mahatma while he was striving to bring peace to a riot ravaged Delhi, in 1948.”

After the attack, speaking at the function to felicitate him, the Mahatma said: “It is sad that this happened while I am working for the uplift of the Harijans. I have no desire for martyrdom as yet, but if it is to happen I am prepared to face it. But in trying to kill me why are they inconsiderate to the innocents who are likely to be killed or injured along with me? My wife and three young girls who are like daughters to me were travelling in the car with me. How have they angered you?”

The attacker escaped and there is no record of investigations or arrests. This was the first documented attempt in India on the life of the Mahatma. Many historians have alleged that this was the work of the Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte gang. This gang was involved in several other bomb attacks on other opponents of their Hindutva and dominance of the upper caste ideology.
(http://web.mahatma.org.in/attempts/attempt0.asp) 

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