Why is Godse trending on Gandhi Jayanti?

Just when we thought the day would fill Indians with the spirit of nationalism in memory of the Father of our nation, an unusual Twitter trend began to pick up on Gandhi Jayanti.

#नाथूराम_गोडसे_जिंदाबाद (#Nathuram_Godse_Zindabad) is the third highest trend on Twitter today, with over 50K tweets, after #GandhiJayanti and #2ndOctober.

The trend saw a steep incline after netizens began posting images of Nathuram Godse who had assassinated Mahatma Gandhi on January 30, in 1948. Gandhi was shot in the chest three times at point blank range in New Delhi.

A Hindu-nationalist from Pune, Godse believed Gandhi to have favoured political demands of British India’s Muslims during the partition of India in 1947.

Also read: Gandhi Jayanti 2021: How many of these films have you watched?

A right-wing leader, Godse was also a member of the Hindu Mahasabha political party and a former member of Rashtriya Swayamseval Sangh (RSS).

Hindu Mahasabha now has about 750,000 members across India and has erected several Godse statues. The group has even attempted to set up temples in his name.

The organisation celebrates Godse’s birthday in May as a holy day and it is said that some of Godse’s ashes are still kept safe in Pune in a silver vessel.

This was done following his dying wish for them not to be scattered until India and Pakistan were reunited. The place is also said to be a popular place of pilgrimage.

Also read: Gandhi, Godse, and ‘Freedom at Midnight’