RIP Bhiku Daji Bhilare - the man who saved Gandhiji's life in 1944. By Subhash Gatade
For a section of
people - whose number is diminishing fast - it is a moment of nostalgia when
idealism was in air and sacrificing oneself for the cause of emancipation of
humanity was looked at with respect, whereas for a larger section which is
being intoxicated with glories of our ancient past, there is a feeling of
indifference to say the least.
Bhiku Daji Bhilare
(Born on November 26, 1919) who died at the age of 98 years rather proved to be
an exception. Not only thousands of people from all walks of life and various
political streams participated in his cremation, the mainstream media also
reported it. It may be mainly because of this member of the Rashtra
Seva Dal in his youth, who was active in the "parallel
government" in Satara district run by revolutionary Nana Patil
and others, had mainly devoted himself to social-political service, after
representing Jawali assembly constituency in the state legislature for 18
years.
Of course, not very
many people know one of his brave acts - saving Gandhi’s life, at a very
crucial juncture in the nation’s history when independence was approaching and
Gandhi was to play an important role in the unfolding developments. It was the
year 1944 when Gandhi was visiting Panchagani, a hill station near Pune (May
1944), where a young crowd of 15-20 young people came in a chartered bus. They
had organised a daylong protest demonstration against him but refused to talk
when Gandhi invited them when the said attack occurred.
Gandhi’s great
grandson Tushar Gandhi, in his book, ’Let’s Kill Gandhi,’ has mentioned the
incident. He tells us how during that prayer meeting, Nathuram Godse dressed in
Nehru shirt, pajama and jacket, brandishing a dagger had
rushed towards Gandhi. “Godse was overpowered
by Bhilare Guruji and Manishankar Purohit. Two youths accompanying Godse ran
away,”..
“(In) July 1944,
after his release from Aga Khan Prison Camp in May 1944, Gandhi contracted
malaria and was advised to rest by Physician... He retired to
Panchgani, a mountain resort near Poona (now Pune), where he stayed at Dilkhush
Bunglow. A group of 18 and 20 men reached Panchgani and held a day-long protest
against Gandhi...When Gandhi was
informed about the demonstration, he contacted the leader of the group,
Nathuram Vinayak Godse, for discussion. Nathuram rejected the invitation and
continued the protest”
The incident was
rather engraved in Bhilare Guruji’s memory- as he was affectionately called
later - who had talked about it and written about it at many places: "Everyone was
allowed to attend Mahatma Gandhi’s prayer meetings in Panchgani. That day, his
associates Usha Mehta, Pyarelal, Aruna Asaf Ali and others were present for the
prayers. Godse rushed up to Gandhiji with a knife saying that he had some
questions. I stopped him, twisted his hand and snatched the knife. But Gandhiji
let him go."
The transformation of
Bhilare Guruji in a ’youth icon’ finds mention in the reminiscences of senior
freedom fighters as well. N D Patil, a freedom fighter himself and who led the
’Peasants and Workers Party’ - who himself is in his 90s, - told in an
interview to a leading daily how
"The news of
Guruji saving Gandhiji from Godse spread everywhere in Satara. I was 15 then.
Many of us students went on our cycles to meet Guruji. He had become an icon
for us. He lived a simple life throughout and followed Gandhian
principles," he said. (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/man-who-saved-gandhi-in-1944-dies-at-98/articleshow/59673840.cms)
Perhaps it may be sign
of fatigue or the changed political ambience in the country, while the media
did provide details about Bhilare Guruji and his later life, it did not deem it
necessary to elaborate further on the assassination attempt of the Mahatma
undertaken by the Hindutva Supremacists.
Question remains why
did Nathuram Godse and his gang of fanatics tried to attack Gandhi ?
“... our reports do
confirm that, as a result of the activities of these two bodies, particularly
the former (the RSS), an atmosphere was created in the country in which such a
ghastly tragedy (Gandhiji’s assassination) became possible. There is no doubt
in my mind that the extreme section of the Hindu Mahasabha was involved in this
conspiracy. The activities of the RSS constituted a clear threat to the
existence of the government and the state. Our reports show that those
activities, despite the ban, have not died down. Indeed, as time has marched
on, the RSS circles are becoming more defiant and are indulging in their
subversive activities in an increasing measure.”
(Sardar Patel’s
letter to Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, July 18, 1948)
Very few people know
the animosity of the Hindutva fanatics towards Gandhi which was evident in the
four attempts on his life before Nathuram Godse’s final attempt. (Chunibhai
Vaidya, a leading Gandhian from Gujarat, talked about a total of six attempts.
Apart from the details of various attempts mentioned below he talks about an
attempt on his life in September 1946 too.)
In fact, the attack in
Panchgani was not the first time that they had tried to kill him... read more:
http://www.sacw.net/article13412.html
Also see
