Killing Mahatma Gandhi

This book gives a gripping account of the last eighteen days in Mahatma Gandhi's life, and the conspiracy that led to his killing. It recounts the day, when the saintly old man announced his intention to go on a fast on 12 January 1948 for 'Hindu-Muslim unity', which turned out to be his last fast, and proved to be his fatal mistake. It describes the prevailing mood of the people soon after India's partition, the first failed attempt on his life on Tuesday, 20 January by a group of seven men, and the last fateful day of his life on Friday, 30 January 1948. The Mahatma, accompanied by his two grand-nieces – 'his walking sticks' – was on his way to attend his daily prayer meeting oblivious to what was written in his fate. As it happened, he was shot dead at point blank-range in broad daylight by a lone assassin - a well-respected newspaper editor from Poona - who had travelled 800 miles to New Delhi to accomplish his 'mission of no mercy'. It reveals how the two other joined him, and stood close by his victim to witness their comrade's – what the assassin called his - “holier-than-thou act”.

How did the great Mahatma react, when he came face to face with his assassin, and saw him, pointing his revolver at him? Why did the assassin push aside one of the two women, walking with the saintly man before shooting him dead? The book truthfully answers these questions and many other, hitherto unknown to the outside world. It also deals with Gandhi murder trial by revealing, for the first time, the 'real motive' of the assassin, and what he said in the court to justify his gruesome act, and reveals the 'victim's last words', which only the assassin could have heard, as he stood just a few feet away from his victim before he took his last breath and collapsed on the prayer ground.

The saintly old man saw him as the defender of all faiths, and the world hailed him as a true messenger of peace. But in the end, this preacher of non-violence met his death by violence. India gained its independence by his non-violent struggle for almost three decades, ending 200 years of British Rule, but at the cost of one-and-a-half million Indians in the communal holocaust that engulfed India during its partition in August 1947.

The Kindle Edition of this book on a recent historical event will appeal to readers of all ages, young and grown-ups, to whom internet is accessible in the four corners of the globe.