New Delhi: As uncertainty continued on India getting back Mahatma Gandhi's personal belongings which are up for auction in New York, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has stepped in directing that all possible steps, which may include entering into the bidding process, should be taken to procure the memorabilia.
"The Prime Minister has directed me to do whatever possible. The bottomline is to procure the memorabilia," Culture Minister Ambika Soni told reporters as the Government made last ditch efforts to stop the auction of Gandhi's personal belongings.
Ambika Soni added the PM has authorised the govt to bid on its own and not through Sant Chatwal if the items are put up for sale.
"We have been given clear directive by the PM to procure Gandhi's belongings by all means. We are trying to ensure that Gandhi's belongings don't become a part of the auction on Thursday night. We are trying various options, still negotiating with James Otis are on, if nothing else works we will buy the lot," she said.
Asked whether India would go for bidding if it failed to prevent the auction, Soni said our attitude is to avoid the commercialisation of Gandhi items as it was against Gandhi's thinking."
Pressed further what India would do if talks with auctioner fails, she said "as a last resort we would acquire the items through bidding."
Otis has expressed readiness to negotiate and donate the items to India if it offers "something very generous" to its poorest people. The memorabilia is up for auction at Antiquorum Auctioneers in New York.
Rejecting the conditions set by him, Sharma said, "Gandhiji himself would not have agreed to conditions. The Government of India representing the sovereign people of this republic cannot enter into such agreements where it involves specific areas of allocation of resources."
Sharma said he was sure that Otis is aware that New Delhi has policy initiatives with "historic" allocations of resources particularly for rural health programmes and the education of the poor besides other pro-poor schemes.
On Otis' demand that New Delhi help its embassies in promoting Gandhian ideals in 78 countries, Sharma told a television channel that New Delhi is already incorporating Gandhiji's vision.
"We will enter the auction if required as a last resort" to bring back the items to the country, she said. The personal belongings include Gandhi's metal-rimmed glasses, pocket watch, a pair of sandals and a plate and bowl.
Her remarks came close on the heels of Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma rejecting conditions set by James Otis, the American auctioneer, for stopping the auction.
Otis wanted the Indian Government to shift priorities from military spending to health care, especially for the poor.
Meanwhile, even as the Government of India is trying everything to bring back Gandhi's belongings to India, just no one knows how many more of such items belonging to the Father of the Nation maybe in the possession of private owners the world over.
While the Ministry of Culture and Tourism has no inventory of Gandhi's items, what's worse, even the Navjeevan Trust - the sole custodian of Gandhi's inheritance - has no clue of what all is available where. In most cases, both the Government and the Ahmedabad-based Navjeevan Trust are taken by surprise each time Gandhi's belongings go under the hammer.
"Bapu has by will appointed us heirs. We don't know where his things are lying, but when sale or auctions happen, we feel that we're the legal heirs" — Managing Trustee of the Navajeevan Trust Jitendra Desai to CNN-IBN
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