The Man Who Saw Gandhi Die
- 5 years ago
On 12 January 1948, Mahatma Gandhi went on a fast to put pressure on the government to pay up Rs 55 crore it owed to Pakistan.
This was part of the 17.5 percent liquid assets that Pakistan was entitled to as part of the deal that formalised the partition of India, or the ‘Terms of Alimony’ as some called it. These liquid assets included printed currency, stocks, coins, postal and revenue stamps, gold reserves, and assets of the Reserve Bank of India.
India had paid the first instalment of Rs 20 crore but had halted the rest of the payment (Rs 55 crore) asking Pakistan to first resolve the Kashmir issue.
Gandhi’s decision to fast was the final straw for Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte, who decided that Gandhi must die – and 20 January 1948 was to be the D day.
But it all came to an end on 30th January 1948.
This was part of the 17.5 percent liquid assets that Pakistan was entitled to as part of the deal that formalised the partition of India, or the ‘Terms of Alimony’ as some called it. These liquid assets included printed currency, stocks, coins, postal and revenue stamps, gold reserves, and assets of the Reserve Bank of India.
India had paid the first instalment of Rs 20 crore but had halted the rest of the payment (Rs 55 crore) asking Pakistan to first resolve the Kashmir issue.
Gandhi’s decision to fast was the final straw for Nathuram Godse and Narayan Apte, who decided that Gandhi must die – and 20 January 1948 was to be the D day.
But it all came to an end on 30th January 1948.