Gandhi Item's Auction Opposed

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oi-Staff

By Staff

Monday, February 16, 2009, 14:14

The reported auction of Mahatma Gandhi's belongings has caused a stir in India. Bapu's great grand son, Tushaar Gandhi has pronounced the auction as immoral and is joining the other Indian parliamentarians in demanding their return.

As reported by the Telegraph, Mahatma Gandhi's sandals, pocket watch and spectacles will be auctioned to the highest bidder in New York. Tushaar Gandhi has already received various offers from around the globe who are donating their monthly salary for the cause. Tushaar Gandhi runs the Mahatma Gandhi Foundation in Mumbai.

He further questions the manner in which Peter Ruhe, a German memorabilia collector had obtained the items. Ruhe is the chairman of GandhiServe Foundation in Berlin. The watch as told by Tushaar was Gandhi's gift to his niece-in-law, who was also his personal assistant and on whose arms he finaly died when shot in 1948.

Accprding to Tushaar, Ruhe successfully persuaded her to sign an agreement with him. As she is now dead, Ruhe is selling them off. Tushaar also accuses Ruhe of going around the world collecting Gandhi's possessions and making a business out of them.

"It is all very sad. It is immoral and must be stopped. It would be a grave insult to the nation if these items were just sold off. While my great-grandfather attached little importance to his possessions and lived a simple life, they are hugely sentimental items for the people," he added.

"They are priceless to India. I would absolutely hate it if they ended up enriching the life of some wealthy businessman in America or Britain. They belong here," Tushar Gandhi said.AGENCIES