ID :
49046
Thu, 03/05/2009 - 07:54
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/49046
The shortlink copeid
Chatwal, Indian Americans to bid for Gandhi memorabilia
New York, Mar 4 (PTI) Leading Indian American hotelier
Sant Singh Chatwal has said that he along with some of his
friends of Indian-origin, will bid for the personal items of
Mahatma Gandhi that go on auction here Thursday.
Personal belongings of Gandhi -- his metal-rimmed
glasses, pocket watch, a pair of sandals and a plate and bowl
-- will come under the hammer at the auction house Antiquorum
Auctioneers here.
Chatwal said he and other well wishers were ready to
cough up upto a quarter of million dollars to acquire the
items and then transfer them back to India.
"I would like to go even to a quarter of a million
dollars, USD 300-400 thousand. This is not big money,
especially when you want to buy it with among 8-10 friends and
give it back to your country -- India," he said.
"Any Indian should buy it and the purpose is to buy and
send it back home. The auction is online, on telephone and we
of course will be physically present," he told CNN IBN.
Meanwhile Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Tushar Gandhi said in
Mumbai that India should ensure that the items are brought
back to where they belong, even as the Indian government asked
its diplomats in the US to do everything that is required to
bring the articles back.
"Stopping the auction is one thing but ensuring that what
belongs to India comes back to India is a totally different
ball game," he said.
"I hope the government of India understands this
difference and behaves in a manner where it will be guaranteed
that those things would come back to India," Tushar said.
He said what belongs to the father of the nation,
necessarily belongs to India.
The US-based owner of Mahatma Gandhi's memorabilia has
said that he will meet with Indian government officials
Wednesday to try to settle the issue.
James Otis said that he hopes the Indian government is
"willing to offer something very generous to India's poorest
in exchange for the donation of the items to the government."
Armed with the interim injunction order passed by Delhi
High Court, India is approaching the US to prevent Mahatma
Gandhi's personal belongings from going under the hammer.
"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 Antiquorum Auctioneeer in New York," Tourism
and Culture Minister Ambika Soni told PTI.
The Delhi High Court, moving on the appeal of Navjivan
Trust, founded by the Mahatma, had Tuesday stayed auctioning
of Gandhiji's belongings.
Pleading that the US-based auction house, be restrained
from putting the items under the hammer, the Trust contended
that these articles could not be sold as they belonged to
India and were illegally taken away from this country.PTI WAJ
AM
NNNN
Sant Singh Chatwal has said that he along with some of his
friends of Indian-origin, will bid for the personal items of
Mahatma Gandhi that go on auction here Thursday.
Personal belongings of Gandhi -- his metal-rimmed
glasses, pocket watch, a pair of sandals and a plate and bowl
-- will come under the hammer at the auction house Antiquorum
Auctioneers here.
Chatwal said he and other well wishers were ready to
cough up upto a quarter of million dollars to acquire the
items and then transfer them back to India.
"I would like to go even to a quarter of a million
dollars, USD 300-400 thousand. This is not big money,
especially when you want to buy it with among 8-10 friends and
give it back to your country -- India," he said.
"Any Indian should buy it and the purpose is to buy and
send it back home. The auction is online, on telephone and we
of course will be physically present," he told CNN IBN.
Meanwhile Mahatma Gandhi's grandson Tushar Gandhi said in
Mumbai that India should ensure that the items are brought
back to where they belong, even as the Indian government asked
its diplomats in the US to do everything that is required to
bring the articles back.
"Stopping the auction is one thing but ensuring that what
belongs to India comes back to India is a totally different
ball game," he said.
"I hope the government of India understands this
difference and behaves in a manner where it will be guaranteed
that those things would come back to India," Tushar said.
He said what belongs to the father of the nation,
necessarily belongs to India.
The US-based owner of Mahatma Gandhi's memorabilia has
said that he will meet with Indian government officials
Wednesday to try to settle the issue.
James Otis said that he hopes the Indian government is
"willing to offer something very generous to India's poorest
in exchange for the donation of the items to the government."
Armed with the interim injunction order passed by Delhi
High Court, India is approaching the US to prevent Mahatma
Gandhi's personal belongings from going under the hammer.
"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 Antiquorum Auctioneeer in New York," Tourism
and Culture Minister Ambika Soni told PTI.
The Delhi High Court, moving on the appeal of Navjivan
Trust, founded by the Mahatma, had Tuesday stayed auctioning
of Gandhiji's belongings.
Pleading that the US-based auction house, be restrained
from putting the items under the hammer, the Trust contended
that these articles could not be sold as they belonged to
India and were illegally taken away from this country.PTI WAJ
AM
NNNN
