Govt seeks to prevent future auctions of Gandhi memorabilia

New Delhi, Mar 8 (PTI) With an aim of preventing auction
of items belonging to Mahatma Gandhi in future, the Indian
government is finalising plans to move courts abroad.

"We are planning to obtain advance injunctions in foreign
countries against possible sale or auction of Gandhi items in
future on the grounds that each such item legally belonged to
the Navjivan Trust, as per Gandhiji's own will," a senior
Culture Ministry official told PTI.

Advance injunctions would be obtained in those countries
which have major auction centres.

"We want to pre-empt any auction of Gandhi items in the
future by making it known that selling or buying these
heritage articles is illegal. According to our plan, we will
move courts in the US, UK, Germany and France first," the
official said.

Culture Ministry is preparing the draft in close
coordination with the ministries of law and external affairs.

"We are in the process of finalising the draft and once
it is finalised government will move courts abroad," the
official said.

Five Gandhi items -- metal-rimmed spectacle, a Zenith
pocket watch, a brass plate and a bowl and sandals -- were
auctioned off by Antiquorum Auctioneers in New York on March 5
despite the government's attempt to stall the auction.

The latest auction in the US is the second such incident
where government had to intervene to bring back Mahatma Gandhi
memorabilia from foreign countries.

Earlier, government had intervened to procure a letter
written by Gandhi a few days before his assassination from the
London auction house Christie in 2007.

"There is a need to stop such practice of selling or
auctioning any object belonging to Gandhi because no one has
the right to do this and Gandhiji himself had written against
it in his will," the official said.

India is of the view that the Navjivan Trust, founded by
Gandhi himself is the custodian of all properties belonging to
the Mahatma.

Gandhi in his will stated "I do not believe that I have
any property. Nevertheless anything which by social convention
or in law is considered mine, movable or immovable... I endow
as my heirs the Navjivan Trust, whom I declare as my heirs."

"All items belonging to Mahatma Gandhi which have been
spirited away, should be restored to the Navjivan Trust. Even
if Gandhi had gifted an item to a specific person or
institution during his lifetime, those articles should not be
used for commercial gain," the official added.

Culture Ministry is also trying to make a database of
Gandhi memorabilia scattered all over the country and abroad.
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