How A Sangh Parivar Hero Died.

Karan Thapar in his Sunday column in the Hindustan Times has written about the hanging, cremation and immersion of the ashes of Sangh Parivar heroes and the killer of the Mahatma, Nathuram Godse and his accomplice Narayan Apte. This he got from an eyewitness source, which he refuses to reveal.

Godse, I’m told, emerged from his cell looking somewhat shaken. In comparison, Apte appeared stronger. As they were taken to the scaffold, Godse, in a weak hesitant voice, called out ‘Akhand Bharat’. Apte completed the slogan with greater spirit and resolve, proclaiming ‘Amar Rahe’. But beyond that both men were silent. No doubt they had other pressing matters on their mind. The two were hanged simultaneously. Apte died instantly. Godse’s body seemed to wriggle and writhe for a while. [….] Godse and Apte were cremated within the hour inside Ambala Central Jail. The DM and his staff were under instructions from Delhi to ensure that the cremation followed immediately. (Later the site was ploughed over so no one could identify it). As soon as it was over the same team of officials took charge of the ashes. In weapon carriers, with a contingent of armed police forprotection, they drove towards the Gaghar River. As my source tells the story, the convey proceeded in a deliberately haphazard and misleading fashion so as to throw off anyone on their tail. First they headed towards the Ghagar, then away from it, then back to the river. They drove upstream only to reverse and head downwards. Finally, when they were confident no one was following, they stopped and the ashes were hastily immersed. “To be honest”, my source added, “I don’t think any of us could have found the place again. We had driven around in such a deliberately confusing fashion no one could be sure where we were or how we got there.” Three things emerge from this eyewitness account. The hanging was swift (though in Godse’s case less than clinical) and was promptly followed by the cremation and disposal of ashes. This was done with precision and in a carefully calculated way to ensure no one could identify the location and thereafter build memorials. Third, for what it counts, Apte met his death with somewhat greater fortitude than Godse.[HT]

Knowing the types that make up the Sangh Parivar, I just hope this revelation doesn’t put Karan Thapar’s and his source’s lives in danger.