The Week India — November 12, 2017

(^5252) CCCCOVERSTORYOOOVVVEEEEERRRRRRSSSSSTTTTTOOOOORRRRRYYYYY THE WEEKTHTHTHTHTTHTEEEEEWWWEWEWEWWEEEEEKKKKK ŠŠŠŠ NOVNOVNOVNOVNOVEMBER 12, 2017NOVOOEMEMBEMEMBEMBEEMBMER EEER ER EE 12122 ,, 2, 2 20101017011
The conspirators flee. Apte and Nathuram check out of
Hotel Marina and board a train to Kanpur. Gopal Godse
leaves for Delhi on the 21st. Karkare, after arranging
for a lawyer for Madanlal, leaves for Bombay on the
22nd. Nathuram and Apte reach Bombay via Jhansi.
Although their first attempt failed,
Apte and Nathuram are determined
to have another go.
We can’t turn back now, not at this
stage. We’ll have another try. We
can’t just drop the whole thing now.
I’m going to do it. I don’t need
any help, not another man. No
recruiting people, no depending
on anyone else.
From Delhi, Nathuram and Apte catch
the Delhi-Bombay Express for Gwalior
and meet Sadashiv Parchure, secretary
of the Hindu Mahasabha, for a good
dependable weapon. On 28 January,
Parchure helps them get a 9mm Beretta.
Nathuram and Apte take a flight to Delhi, under false
names—D. Narain Rao and N. Vinayak Rao. Karkare
decides to be with Nathuram and Apte in Delhi.
I’m going to Delhi with
Nathuram and I will be there
with him when it happens.
And what are you going
to do, Apte?
Here’s the plan. It’s simple. I am going
to find a reliable pistol or revolver. I am
going to get as close to Gandhi as possible,
shoot him and then give myself up.
And so it is decid-
ed. Gopal passes
the revolver he
had with him to
his brother and
decides to return
to Poona.
Then I am coming, too. I too
want to be there, even if it
means certain death.
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(^52) COVERSTORY THE WEEK Š NOVEMBER 12, 2017