Real story behind the Mohandas Gandhi assassination

New Delhi, Jan 30: On the night of January 30, 1948, an eminent lawyer and ultra-nationalist Nathuram Vinayak Godse shot Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi dead at point-blank range, as India's most revered leader was leaving a prayer meeting in Delhi.

Gandhiji died instantly after Godse shot him 3 times in the chest from a point-blank range. Godse was arrested, convicted in court and later executed.

The veteran freedom fighter had been a target of five assassination attempts on his life before he was assassinated on January 30, 1948 at the age of 78 in the compound of Birla House.

In June 25, 1934, conspirators bombed a car in Pune while Gandhiji was there to give a speech. Reporetedly, several such attempts were made in 1944, 1946 and 1948 but the attempts were failed.

What happened on January 30, 1948

Mahatma Gandhi was holding multifaith prayer gatherings every evening, sometime after 5 o'clock. Nathuram Godse emerged from the group of people flanking Gandhi's path and fired three bullets at point-blank range into Gandhi's chest and belly. Gandhi collapsed on the floor. Mahatma Gandhi was taken back to his room at Birla House, where a representative later appeared to make the announcement of his demise.

Nathuram Godse was apprehended by crowd participants and turned over to the police. On November 8, 1949, Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte received a death penalty verdict.

Is Gandhiji Father of The Nation?

Gandhiji's role in Partition and the two titles - 'Mahatma' (great soul) and 'Rashtra Pita' (father of the nation) - accorded to him by his admirers have been the matter of intense debate throughout the country since Independence while he is considered as an 'apostle of peace' worldwide who has inspired many great leaders across the globe.

In fact, Mahatma Gandhi was never accorded the 'Father of the Nation' title by Government of India and no rule or ordinance was ever passed in this regard.

In 2012, A student had written to then President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to issue a notification declaring Mahatma Gandhi the 'Father of the Nation'.

To which, the Home ministry had replied saying Article 18 (1) of the Constitution does not permit any titles except education and military ones.