Back to Part 1January 30, 5.00 PM
(Birla Bhavan. DCP Arjundas and a servant appear on the stage.)
Servant: No. Bapuji cannot spare any time now. He will be late for his evening prayers.
Arjun: I know. But I have come because the work is important. In fact it is to do with Bapuji's prayers.
Gandhi: (Enters) Who is it, Mahadevbhai?
Servant: Somebody to see you. I told him, you are getting late.
Gandhi: Who are you?
Arjun: (Salutes) I am DCP Arjundas, Bapuji...
Gandhi: We have met before... Wait a minute, don't tell me ... let me recollect. Yes, when Jawahar had come to Hyderabad, you were with him.
Arjun: (Smiles) Your memory is fantastic. You were very weak at that time.
Gandhi: It is the body that becomes weak. But fasting sharpens of the mind. Why have you come today? For prayers?
Arjun: Yes. I want to request you to let me accompany you for the prayers...
Gandhi: Anybody can attend my evening prayers. How can I refuse you?
Arjun: Okay then. I will be with some of my ...
Gandhi: But not in these uniforms. Not with the revolver in your waistband.
Arjun: But Bapu ...
Gandhi: Why do you need the revolver?
Arjun: For your protection.
Gandhi: If somebody attacks me, you will shoot him with this revolver. Kill at the time of prayers?
Arjun: But Bapuji, if somebody attacks you ...
Gandhi: He is welcome. I don't mind my own killing, but I don't want anybody to die just for saving my skin.
Arjun: Panditji sent me. I am his bodyguard.
Gandhi: Then what are you doing here? Go, guard his body.
Arjun: Panditji said he had spoken to you, Sardar Patel also talked to you, but you are adamant in this matter. Today the intelligence bureau sent this file to Panditji. He has asked me to show it to you. Bapuji, you need protection.
Gandhi: I don't need protection.
Arjun: Bapuji... How can I convince you? Can you see the crowd gathered outside? One of them might be a killer, your killer. All the people attending the prayers are not devotees.
Gandhi: No. Only devotees attend the prayers.
Arjun: But those who threw a bomb here on January 20 were not devotees. The bureau has cracked down on them. Madanlal and Shankar Kistaiyya. They are talking. They are workers of the Hindu Mahasabha. Bapu, that bomb blast was not an accident. It was sabotage, it was an attempt on your life.
Gandhi: The Hindu Mahasabha and the Muslim League ... I don't differentiate between them.
Arjun: They don't understand it.
Gandhi: You are wrong Arjun: When I started the fast, both Hindus and Muslims put their weapons down.
Arjun: Bapu, a bullet does not differentiate between a commoner and a saint.
Gandhi: But the trigger-puller knows the difference.
Arjun: The refugees are furious. They hold you responsible for their massacre. The Hindu Mahasabha claims you are responsible for Partition. These handful of people are conspiring to assassinate you. It is dangerous to move around among the people at the time of prayers. Can you stop the prayers for a few days?
Gandhi: You want me to stop my prayers? It has never happened before. I did not let it happen. Be it imprisonment, detention, fasting or sickness ... I never let anything stand between me and the prayers. Kasturba was serious when prayer-time approached. I started getting up from her bedside. She held my hand, pressed it. I waited ... Ba slowly slipped into death. I got up and went for my prayers first, and then I mourned for my Ba. And today you want me to discontinue the prayers... for my life?
Arjun: But your life we need Bapuji.. all of us. That day you waited for some time for Kasturba, now for the sake of all of us wait for some days. If you want, let us pray here... You, Mahadevbhai myself, Panditji, we all will join the prayers... here.
An Assassin Speaks!
'If it is going to satisfy them that they have penalised a criminal named Mohandas Gandhi, I am prepared to give them my blood'
Gandhi: And what about the people gathered outside? There could be one killer outside among them. But what about the others? They are not killers. I don't want to disappoint them for one Gandhi!
Arjun: But Bapuji...
Gandhi: Jawahar is childish, and Arjundas... you also. You are banking on the revolver that is in your waistband. My killer also has confidence in his revolver. I don't want to participate in your gun war. My weaponless confidence is much mightier than your gun-worn confidence.
Arjun: Maybe the weapons are small, but they do great harm.
Gandhi: That is the misplaced confidence of you gun-toting people. I was in South Africa, where Jawahar was not with me to protect me, the police hit me, imprisoned me. I didn't have a revolver, I had my confidence. Ultimately. I won the war.
Arjun: Bapuji, I am not talking about canes, I am talking about bullets.
Gandhi: I am talking about non-violence, a powerful weapon like non-violence.
Arjun: It is a question of a few days...
Gandhi: It is a question of principle. I am not immortal. I have to die one day. If my blood is going to cool down their anger, if it is going to stop riots and arson, if it is going to satisfy them that they have penalised a criminal named Mohandas Gandhi. I am prepared to give them my blood.
Arjun: Bapu...
Gandhi: I don't differentiate between Ram and Rahim or Krishna or Karim. I am not overwhelmed about the fact that I am a Hindu and I don't repent because I was not born a Muslim. I am I. And I am honest to my principles and to the truth. Arjundas you want me to discontinue the prayers for a few days... but I say, even today, if the killer is waiting outside for me. I am prepared to welcome him with folded hands. He can kill Gandhi, not Gandhism.
Servant: Bapuji...
Gandhi: Aah! Today I am late for the prayers. Arjundas, feel like joining me?
Arjun: But of course!
Gandhi: Come on. Excuse me, please. Keep your revolver here... beside my charkha.
Black out.
(Birla Bhavan. The prayer place is visible: It is a square cement block with greenery in the middle. A small lake is on the left and an arch-shaped, small, wooden bridge on it. Gandhi's sitting place is situated exactly opposite the lake.)
Nathuram: It was 4.45 pm when I reached the gate of Birla Bhavan. The security staff at the gate was scrutinising the crowd entering and I was a little worried about them. I mingled with a small gorup of people and sneaked inside.
It was 5.10 pm when I saw Gandhi and his close associates coming to the prayer place from his room inside. I approached the passage from where he was likely to climb the steps of the lawn, in such a way that I was covered by a few people.
Gandhi climbed the steps and came forward. He had kept his hands on the shoulders of the two girls.
The revolver was in my pocket, I released the safety catch. Though Gandhi was surrounded by people I was looking for an opening.
I wanted just three seconds more. I moved two steps forward and faced Gandhi. Now I wanted to take out the revolver and salute him for whatever sacrifice and service he had made for the nation. One of the two girls was dangerously close to Gandhi and I was afraid that she might be injured in the course of firing. As a precautionary measure I went one more step ahead, bowed before him and gently pushed the girl away from the firing line.
The next moment I fired at Gandhi. Gandhi was very weak, there was a feeble sound like 'aah' from him and he fell down.
Those who were close to me saw the weapon in my hand. They rushed away from the spot. Gandhi had fallen to the ground, I was standing and the crowd had formed a ring around us.
After the firing I raised my hand holding the revolver and shouted, 'Police, police'. For 30 seconds nobody came forward and I scanned the crowd. I saw a police officer. I signalled to him to come forward and arrest me. He came and caught my wrist, then a second man came and touched the revolver... I let it go...
(Black out... Sounds of wireless, Hullo, Victor calling. Victor calling... Gandhi killed in firing. IGP and home minister rushing to Birla Bhavan. Inform the PM).