The Assassination of
Gandhi, 1948
Just an old man in a loincloth in
distant India: Yet when he died, humanity wept." This was the observation
of a newspaper correspondent at the death of Mahatma Gandhi. The tragedy
occurred in New Delhi as the gaunt old man walked to a prayer-meeting and was
engulfed by one of history's great ironies - a life-long pacifist and promoter
of non-violence struck down by an assassin's bullet.
Gandhi's violent death came just
months after the realization of his long sought-after goal - the independence
of India from Great Britain. It was a bitter-sweet victory for Gandhi because
along with India's independence came the partitioning of the sub-continent into
two separate states - Muslim-based Pakistan and Hindu-based India - an action
he thoroughly opposed. Gandhi did not take part in the celebration of India's
independence.
