Assassination of Gandhi
Modern History › Independence and the New-Born Nation · Topic 30.4
Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead by Nathuram Godse on the evening of 30 January 1948 at Birla House in New Delhi, during his usual prayer meeting. Nehru broadcast that the light had gone out of their lives, Patel appealed for non-violence, Godse was tried and sentenced to death, and the RSS was banned on 4 February 1948 and the ban lifted in July 1949 after conditions were accepted.
6 min read · UPSC Prelims · History · Independence and the New-Born Nation
At a Glance
- Date and place 30 January 1948, Birla House, New Delhi
- Assassin Nathuram Godse
- RSS ban Imposed 4 February 1948; lifted July 1949
- Trigger named at trial Godse cited Gandhi’s pro-Muslim policy, culminating in his last fast
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Modern History: Independence and the New-Born Nation
Where Does It Fit?
This is the fourth topic of the category on independence and the new-born nation. The previous topic covered the division of civil government, finances and defence. This topic covers the assassination of Gandhi and its aftermath. The next topic covers the rehabilitation of refugees and the Delhi Pact on minorities. Previous topic: Division of Resources: Civil Government, Finances and Defence.
What Happened on 30 January 1948?
On the evening of 30 January 1948, as he carried on his usual prayer meeting at Birla House in New Delhi, Mahatma Gandhi was shot dead by Nathuram Godse. The event sent shock waves through a nation that was still in the making. Communalism and the misinterpretation of nationalism are named as the two fundamental factors under whose influence Godse killed Gandhi. The prelude was Gandhi’s last fast in Delhi in January 1948, in which he pressed for communal peace and for the transfer of the money owed to Pakistan, as in Division of Resources: Civil Government, Finances and Defence. The riots he was trying to contain are in Radcliffe Boundary Award and the Communal Riots.
How Did the Leaders Respond?
In an address to the nation on All India Radio, Nehru summed up the mood: “The light has gone out of our lives and there is darkness everywhere”, adding that the best prayer the nation could offer Gandhi’s memory was to dedicate itself to truth and to the cause for which he lived and died. Sardar Patel appealed to the people not to seek revenge but to follow Gandhi’s message of love and non-violence, saying that it was a shame that the greatest man of the world had paid with his life for the sins of those who had not followed him while he lived.
Godse was tried and sentenced to death. At the trial he declared that he acted because of Gandhi’s consistent pandering to the Muslims, culminating in his last pro-Muslim fast, which goaded him to the conclusion that Gandhi’s existence should be brought to an end immediately. The statement is a record of the assassin’s own claim, not a finding of fact about Gandhi’s policies. Gandhi’s own approach to the communities is in Gandhi’s Fast and the Famine of 1943 and in Why Quit India: The Resolution and Gandhi’s Instructions.
Why Was the RSS Banned?
On 4 February 1948 the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was banned by the government. The government felt that the right-wing extremism the RSS was seen to represent would be very harmful to the unity of the nation. Though not directly involved in the assassination, the organisation was seen to have a hand in the Punjab violence, it attracted the support of many refugees, and it was rumoured that RSS members had celebrated Gandhi’s death. Nehru considered that groups such as the RSS had the blood of Mahatma Gandhi on their hands, even though they dissociated themselves from the killing.
| Condition for lifting the ban (July 1949) | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cultural activity only | The Sangh would restrict itself to cultural activities and not meddle with politics |
| No violence or secrecy | It would renounce its agenda of violence and secrecy |
| Loyalty | It would profess public loyalty to the Indian Constitution and the tricolour flag |
| Democratic organisation | It would organise itself on democratic principles |
The ban was lifted in July 1949, when the RSS accepted these conditions. A note on balance: the account above follows the government’s view of 1948; the organisation has always denied involvement in the killing, and the matter has been argued in the courts and in politics since. The communal currents that produced the climate are in Birth, Spread and Characteristics of Indian Communalism.
What Did the Killing Change?
As an analytical point, the assassination ended the violence of the immediate post-partition months in a way no law could. The shock turned public feeling against communal organisations, helped the government to act against them, and gave the leaders of the Congress, especially Nehru and Patel, a shared reason to make a secular state their first task, as in Objectives Resolution Moved by Nehru, 13 December…">Making of the Constitution: Constituent Assembly and Its Work. The killing also removed the one figure who could still walk into riot-hit areas and calm them, as he had done in Calcutta and Delhi. The Delhi Pact, described in Rehabilitation of Refugees and the Delhi Pact on Minorities, was signed two years later against the same background of fear and mistrust.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Event and persons Date, place and assassin are standard Prelims facts
- RSS ban and conditions The four conditions for lifting it are a favourite question
- Impact on secular politics A theme for GS Paper 1 on the early state
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the rehabilitation of refugees and the Delhi Pact on Minorities of 1950. Next topic: Rehabilitation of Refugees and the Delhi Pact on Minorities.
Key People and Terms
- Nathuram Godse The assassin, tried and sentenced to death
- Birla House The place in New Delhi where Gandhi was shot
- Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh The organisation banned in February 1948
- All India Radio Medium for Nehru’s address after the killing
- Sardar Patel Appealed for non-violence rather than revenge
- Ban conditions Four conditions accepted by the RSS in July 1949
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Gandhi shot on 30 January 1948 at Birla House.
- Assassin: Nathuram Godse.
- RSS banned 4 February 1948; ban lifted July 1949.
- Nehru: “The light has gone out of our lives”.
- Conditions: culture only, no violence, loyalty to Constitution and flag, democratic organisation.
Do Not Confuse With
- The ban of 1948 and the later bans This topic covers only the ban of February 1948 to July 1949
- Gandhi’s last fast and the Quit India fast January 1948 for communal peace versus the 1943 fast in detention
- Patel’s appeal and Nehru’s broadcast Non-violence and no revenge versus the light gone out
Memory Hook
Evening prayer, three shots, a broadcast, a ban and four conditions.
Mains Angle
Questions ask about the event and its political effects. These points add depth.
- Event 30 January 1948
- Response Nehru, Patel and the RSS ban
- Effects Communal politics checked in the short term
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Discuss the circumstances and consequences of the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi.”
How to Answer
- Background Communalism and the last fast.
- Event Godse and the trial.
- Response RSS ban and conditions.
- Conclude Effect on the secular state.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
Who assassinated Mahatma Gandhi and when?
Nathuram Godse shot Gandhi dead on the evening of 30 January 1948 at Birla House in New Delhi, while Gandhi was holding his usual prayer meeting. Godse was tried and sentenced to death, and the killing sent shock waves through the new nation.
What did Nehru say after Gandhi's death?
In an address on All India Radio Nehru said that the light had gone out of their lives and there was darkness everywhere, and that the best prayer the nation could offer was to dedicate itself to truth and to the cause for which Gandhi lived and died.
Why was the RSS banned in 1948?
The RSS was banned on 4 February 1948 because the government felt that the right-wing extremism it was seen to represent would harm the unity of the nation, and the organisation was seen to have a hand in the Punjab violence, although it was not directly involved in the killing.
Under what conditions was the RSS ban lifted?
The ban was lifted in July 1949 after the RSS accepted conditions that it would restrict itself to cultural activities and not meddle in politics, renounce violence and secrecy, profess loyalty to the Constitution and the tricolour, and organise itself on democratic principles.
What reason did Godse give at his trial?
Godse declared that Gandhi's consistent pandering to the Muslims, culminating in his last pro-Muslim fast, goaded him to conclude that Gandhi's existence should be ended immediately; this is the assassin's own claim recorded in the trial and not an established finding about Gandhi.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Gandhi was shot at Birla House in New Delhi on 30 January 1948.
He was at his usual prayer meeting.
2 The RSS was banned on 4 February 1948.
The ban was lifted in July 1949.
3 The RSS ban was lifted without any conditions.
It accepted four conditions laid down by the government.
4 Nehru announced the death on All India Radio, saying the light had gone out of their lives.
Patel made a separate appeal for non-violence.
5 Nathuram Godse was acquitted at his trial.
He was tried and sentenced to death.
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