Nathuram Godse: The Hidden Untold Truth

by Anup SarDesai

One of the prominent personalities who attended the function were G.V. Ketkar, the grandson of Bal Gangadhar Tilak. Addressing the function, Ketkar roared "I knew all about the plot to kill Gandhiji around six months in advance. Nathuram had told me all about this conspiracy when we had met at the Shivaji Mandir on the eve of India’s independence" In fact, Nathuram had referred to Gandhi’s wish of living up to the age of 125 years by telling Ketkar in a fit of rage ‘Pan tumhala zagu denaar kon?’ (But who will let you live for so long?) 81 Ketkar recalled this incident and thought that Nathuram had planned to kill Gandhiji many months in advance. Ketkar’s speech was widely reported by all major newspapers in the country. There were heated debates in the Parliament and the Maharashtra Assembly. On 25th November 1964, Ketkar, Gopal and the organizer of the event, Ghasias were arrested under the dreaded Public Detention Act. They were kept in jail for over a year with no offence registered against them. They were finally set free on 30th November 1965.