Why I Killed the Mahatma
Uncovering Godse’s Defence
Koenraad Elst
Rupa 251 pages; Rs 495
This monograph centers on the 150-paragraph statement read out by Nathuram Godse on November 8, 1948 at his defence before the trial judges. Koenraad Elst, a Belgian academic specialising in Sinology and Indology, has used the statement to dissect Godse’s political and ideological defence in six chapters that also assess Mahatma Gandhi’s political legacy.
As the author explains, “The fact that he [Godse] murdered the Mahatma eclipsed every other fact in his… long and detailed statement. We hope that this study will enable the readers to see Godse
