Diplomats making efforts to stop auction of Gandhi`s items

Dharam Shourie

New York, Mar 4 (PTI) Indian diplomats here are making
all out efforts to stop the auction of Mahatma Gandhi's
personal items, even as community leaders and groups are
working out strategies to buy them if the auction goes ahead
on Thurday.

After a high-level meeting with the top diplomats of
the Indian Consulate Wednesday, the Antiquorum Auctioneers
promised to convey their final decision Wednesday night just
before Mahatma's item are due to go on auction Thursday.

Despite extensive efforts by the Indian officials,
neither the auction house nor the owner James Otis has shown
any interest in taking Gandhi memorabilia off the block.

India has said it is approaching the US to prevent
Gandhi's personal items from going under the hammer after
Delhi High Court passed an interim injunction order to prevent
the prized articles from being put on auction.

"The Ministry of External Affairs is going to take up
with the US State Department the issue with an aim of stalling
the auction at Antiquoroum Auctioneeer in New York," India's
Tourism and Culture Minister Ambika Soni had said.

Among the items being auctioned are Gandhi's ionic
pocket watch, glasses, a plate, bowl and a pair sandals.
Antiquorum Auctioneers have started displaying on their
website items, including Gandhi's, they are planning to sell.

Otis had told PTI that he had added another two items
- a blood report of Gandhi from Irwin Hospital and a telegram
he sent to students congratulating them on peaceful
demonstration - to the items being auctioned but they were not
being displayed on the website so far.

He dismissed the relevance of the Delhi High Court's
decision that put a stay on the auction, a media report said.

Analysts closely following the auction said that India
could bring mainly moral pressure on the auctioneers and Otis
to stop the auction.

During the meetings with the auctioneers at various
levels, Indian diplomats had been emphasizing the sentimental
value of the items for the Indians who, they explained, revere
Gandhi and consider him 'father of the nation'.

By donating them to India, the auctioneers were
explained, they would earn enormous goodwill and international
publicity whereas by auctioning them they will be projecting
themselves as materialistic and indifferent to the sentiments
of the people of India.

When they refused to take the items off the block,
India offered to buy them at reserve price or at a reasonable
negotiated price. But that too was not acceptable to them.

Though the auctioneers have valued the items at
between USD 20,000 and USD 30,000, the controversy could
raise the price several times, analysts say.

A spokesperson of the auctioneers said that they would
not consider settling the items at a negotiated price and that
India could bid for them through its representative.

Meanwhile, the Indian Consulate in New York rubbished
the statements by auctioneers that the representatives of the
Indian government had not been in touch with them.

In a statement Wednesday, the Consulate said it has
been in regular contact with Antiquorum auctioneers since
February 26 and has repeatedly asked them to cancel the
auction of these items and donate them to the Government of
India.

"Since the auctioneers refused to do so, the Consulate
also conveyed that the Government of India was willing to buy
the items at the reserve price or a reasonable negotiated
price," it added.

Talking to PTI, Otis had earlier offered to donate the
items to India free but put the condition that the government
should agree to spend five per cent of Gross Domestic Product
(GDP) on the poor or announce some major scheme which would
benefit them. PTI