3 days to go; Indian govt to take legal route to stop auction

New Delhi, Mar 2 (PTI) With only three days to go for
the auction of five precious articles of Mahatma Gandhi in the
United States, the Indian government has intensified efforts
to prevent the items from going under the hammer and acquire
them.

Senior officials of the Indian Consulate in New York
are holding negotiations with the auction house Antiquorum
Auctioneers as part of an attempt to prevent it from putting
the Mahatma's personal belongings -- famous metal-rimmed
spectacles, sandals, a pocket watch, a plate and a bowl--on
auction.

The Antiquorum is so far unwilling to halt the auction
but efforts are underway to persuade it, a senior official of
Culture Ministry told PTI here Monday.

The Culture Ministry is closely coordinating with the
Law and External Affairs Ministries to stall the auction of
the five Gandhi belongings.

Fearing that the auction house may not heed to India's
request, the government is also working on other options,
which include a legal route, to ensure that the personal items
of the Father of the Nation do not fall in somebody else's
hands.

"We are seriously examining other means including
legal route to stop the auction," the official said.

In this connection, Culture Ministry officials Monday
met the senior Law Ministry officials to firm up the legal
course of action. PTI ARU
PMR
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