Auction of Mahatma Gandhi's Possessions
James Otis of Los Angeles, USA claims to have a few of Mahatma Gandhi's possessions (trademark wire-rimmed glasses, a pair of worn leather sandals, a pocket watch and a metal bowl and plate). Mr. Otis has decided to put these items up for auction.
This has caused a section of India to raise a hue and cry about how Gandhi's possession belong to Indian people and that these should be returned back to India. Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi had earlier appealed to Indians for money to buy his great-grandfather's belongings that are up for sale because they are part of India's heritage. After failing to mobilise sufficient funds for the auction, Tushar Gandhi persuaded the Indian Government to intervene in the matter. The Indian Government is reportedly holding talks with the Antiquorum Auctioneers to take the items off the auction. Some non-resident Indians have also offered to buy back the items, amid concern that time may be running out for the government to persuade the owner or the auctioneers to sell them the objects.
Mahatma Gandhi's sacrifice for the country is unsurpassed; there is no argument about that. He was a great man and he gave everything he had for the betterment of his countrymen. His legacy is remembered even today and not just by people of India but also by many emminent leaders across the globe.
India, Indian leaders, and the people of India have always spoken highly of Gandhi and Gandhian ways. But no one has ever given anything more than lip service to his ideals. No one has cared to continue his ideology. Immediately after independence of India, when riots broke out across India between Hindus and Muslims, Gandhi decided to go on a fast-unto-death protesting against the ways of his own people. And finally he was assasinated by his own people. After Gandhi every leader has taken care of their own interests and have been completely callous about the state of the people. This is not very different to approach of the British.
It is not Gandhi's possessions that we need to be worried about. It is his ideology of selfless service and caring for your countrymen that needs to be given more importance to. Moreso I am not sure how the current India can claim to the rightful heir to Gandhi's possession. If Gandhi were to be alive today, he probably would not want to be called an Indian. India and Indians have never walked on the path he prescribed, and today there is discrimination and strife across the country. The worst part is the fact that all of this horror is being perpetrated by the Indians themselves. One wonders if it was better when the British were ruling, atleast then they could blame the foreign rulers' apathy for the state of affairs.
Bring Gandhi's possesions back or not; unless we care for the country and countrymen and live by our conscience we would not be respecting Gandhi.
This has caused a section of India to raise a hue and cry about how Gandhi's possession belong to Indian people and that these should be returned back to India. Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi had earlier appealed to Indians for money to buy his great-grandfather's belongings that are up for sale because they are part of India's heritage. After failing to mobilise sufficient funds for the auction, Tushar Gandhi persuaded the Indian Government to intervene in the matter. The Indian Government is reportedly holding talks with the Antiquorum Auctioneers to take the items off the auction. Some non-resident Indians have also offered to buy back the items, amid concern that time may be running out for the government to persuade the owner or the auctioneers to sell them the objects.
My view
Mahatma Gandhi's sacrifice for the country is unsurpassed; there is no argument about that. He was a great man and he gave everything he had for the betterment of his countrymen. His legacy is remembered even today and not just by people of India but also by many emminent leaders across the globe.
India, Indian leaders, and the people of India have always spoken highly of Gandhi and Gandhian ways. But no one has ever given anything more than lip service to his ideals. No one has cared to continue his ideology. Immediately after independence of India, when riots broke out across India between Hindus and Muslims, Gandhi decided to go on a fast-unto-death protesting against the ways of his own people. And finally he was assasinated by his own people. After Gandhi every leader has taken care of their own interests and have been completely callous about the state of the people. This is not very different to approach of the British.
It is not Gandhi's possessions that we need to be worried about. It is his ideology of selfless service and caring for your countrymen that needs to be given more importance to. Moreso I am not sure how the current India can claim to the rightful heir to Gandhi's possession. If Gandhi were to be alive today, he probably would not want to be called an Indian. India and Indians have never walked on the path he prescribed, and today there is discrimination and strife across the country. The worst part is the fact that all of this horror is being perpetrated by the Indians themselves. One wonders if it was better when the British were ruling, atleast then they could blame the foreign rulers' apathy for the state of affairs.
Bring Gandhi's possesions back or not; unless we care for the country and countrymen and live by our conscience we would not be respecting Gandhi.
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