From High school days I am writting letters to eminent personalities from various fields like art, literature, politics & others of our country. In the same process when I was doing my M.Sc. in Physical Chemistry from Ismail Yusuf College (Mumbai)
on 7th July, 1999, I wrote a long letter to one of the most infamous personality of our country Gopal Godse. I got his address from a Marathi book from Keshav Gore Trust Library. In that letter I asked a number of questions related to the Nathuram Godse, Mahatma Gandhi, actual reasons for the assassination of Gandhiji & life after prison. I was not sure about any reply from him but I was totally surprised to see his reply which I got on 25th July, 1999. His reply is in the form of handwritten letter.
In his letter Gopalji gave me blessings for long life by writing 'Chiranjeev'. He suggest me to study his written books for the answers of questions which are asked by me in my letter. He informed me that cataract operation for his both eyes were necessary so after 2/4 days he will undergo an operation for one eye & after 2 month he will undergo for second eye. In last paragraph he informed me that he had a problem of Physics. That time he was using ancient Vedic Hindu sage Agatsya's mantras, wanted to make dry cells. From my letter he knew that I was Physical Chemistry student so he wanted my help in that invention. I was totally trilled with this kind of reply.
When I share this letter experienced with college friends & teaching staff they advised as well as warned me to not to make any kind of relation with Gopalji otherwise I have to face many unwanted problems. That time he was still under the observance of Intelligence & state CID. That time I was very serious about career.I was working hard for civil service examination & wanted to become IAS at any cost. I was the only hope of family & every one's expectation was very big from me.So I took elders advice.
Now I can feel that how lonely & isolated life lived by Gopalji. On 27th November, 2005 he died in Pune (Maharashtra).
I believe that my & also my previous generation can not evaluate that 1947-48 situation. We are ordinary common man. God only knows who was right & who was wrong.
Let us all we have to know little bit about Gopal Vinayak Godse.
Who was Gopal Gadse?
Gopal Godse was a Chitpavin brahmin born in 1919 in Khed (now Rajguru Nagar) in Pune,Maharashtra. He worked as a volunteer for Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (R.S.S.) & Hindu Mahasabha without enrolling as a member. When world war II broke out, in 1940 he joined defense services as a storekeeper in the Indian Army Ordinance Corps. He opted for service on the front & served in Iran & Iraq till April 1944.
Gopal Godse & his elder brother Nathuram Godse believed that Mahatma Gandhi had turned his back on Indian independence movement at that his actions led to the partition of India which in turn led to inflammation of sectarian strife between Pakistan's Muslim's & India's Hindu's. According to Gopalji what triggered the assassination was a bomb explosion 20th January,1948 at Gandhiji's prayer meeting in Delhi, just 50 meters away from Gandhiji. The failed explosion for which Madan Lal Pahwa was caught heighten the urgency- Godse brothers wanted to finish it before Indian police caught them. Finally on 30th Jan, 1948 Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead by Nathuram Godse. Nathuram along with co-conspirator Narayan Apte was executed by hanging on 15th November,1949. Gopal Godse & two other were sentenced to life imprisoned for their major part in conspiracy. Gopalji remained in jail for 18 years. In Oct,1964 he was released from prison but after a month he was re-arrested under the Defence of India Act & kept in prison for over a year. He was finally released at the end of 1965. After released from prison, he lived with his wife Sindhu in a small apartment in Pune.
Gopal Godse lived largely on the royalties obtain from books he wrote on Mahatma Gandhi & the assassination. He wrote 9 books in Marathi & English language.
- Has a life convict to die in prison under Indian law? - 1961
- Jaya Mrityunjaya - 1969
- Krantikarakancha Adhyatmavad Aani Itara Lekha -1971
- Panchavanna Kotinche Bali (The sacrafice of 55 crores) - 1971
- Saine Ka Lihila Jai Rashtracha Itihaas? - 1975
- Lal Kilyatila Athavani - 1981
- Gandhi Hatya Aani Me (Gandhi's assassination & me) - 1989
- Qutub Minar Is Vishnu Dhwaja - 1997
- Phansi Aani Nathuram - 1999
In another interview to an international media, when following question asked to him, he replied as,
Q :- Do you ever regret Mahatma Gandhi's killing?
A :- No, never.Gandhi used to claimed the partition would be over his dead body. So after partition he didn't die, we killed him. Usually an assassination of a leader is either for personal benefits or to acquire power. We killed Gandhi because he was harmful to India & it was selfless act. No one paid a single penny for it. Our love for motherland made us to do it. We are not ashamed of it.Gandhi should have been honest to admit that his life was a failure.
Gopal Godse admitted that at one point Gandhiji was his idol. He credited Gandhiji for his mass awekening that he created & that he removed the fear of prison from the mind of Indians.
