Owner ready to withdraw Gandhi's belongings from auction

James Otis, who owns the personal belongings of Mahatma Gandhi including the iconic round glasses being put on auction Thursday, said on Tuesday that he is prepared to reach a financial settlement with the Indian government and take the item off the auction block.

"But if the (Indian) government decides to allocate five per cent of the GDP to or announces some major scheme for the poor, I will even donate these items," he added.

Stating that he is great admirer of Gandhi, Otis said he would donate most of the money he gets from auction to the "worthy" causes especially to help institutions and organizations working to propagate Gandhi's message of non violence.

He said he has added two more items of Gandhi to`the five already being auctioned. These include his blood report from the then Irwin hospital in Delhi and a signed telegram he sent to students who were undertaking a non violent struggle. But he could not the give the date of the blood report or the telegram.

He said he had already sent them to the Antiquorum Auctioneers and the dates were not clear in the photo copies he had.

Earlier, a spokesperson of New York-based Antiquorum Auctioneers said Gandhi's metal-rimmed glasses, pocket watch, a pair of sandals and a plate and bowl will go on auction on Thursday and is expected to fetch between USD 20,000 and USD 30,000.

Asked whether he could take the items off the auction at this late stage, Otis said he had contract with auctioneers but an arrangement could be worked between the three – himself, government and auctioneers.

He agreed that the time is short but said the things could be worked out over the telephone and that should not be difficult.

Otis said he had sent an email to great the grand son of Mahatma Gandhi Tushar Arun Gandhi in this regard.

He had acquired the items from the Gandhi family as also from other sources including dealers because of his love for Gandhi and appreciation for his advocacy for non violence which is very relevant in the modern day world especially in the areas witnessing conflicts, he said.

He has been so influenced by Gandhi, Otis said, that he observes silence one day a week as Mahatma Gandhi used to do.

He was auctioning the items because he now "wants them to be shared with the world and remind it of the message of non violence."

Though the Auctioneers claimed that they have not been contacted by any representative of the Indian government so far on the matter, sources said, senior officials of the Indian Consulate in New York are holding negotiations with the auction house as part of an attempt to prevent it from putting the items on auction which triggered a public outcry in India.

Otis said he had been collecting the items for about last 15 years.

Replying to a question, he said he has been very saddened by the fact that there has been so much anger over his decision to auction the items.

"I hope to diminish (the anger). But I did buy some of the items from the Gandhi family and I bought and retrieved other items in auctions in London and New York. I also bought them from private dealers," he said.

Asked whether he tried to sell the items to the Indian government or some museum, he said he was not going in for commercial transactions. "I always wanted to promote Gandhi’s works and his ideals."

He said he had displayed the items in museums and universities where he got positive response from the students. But he has not been able to take the items around the world, something "the person who buys, I hope, would be able to do."

Asked what made him decide to auction the items at this point of time, Otis said he was inspired by American president Barack Obama's admiration for Gandhi and Martin Luther King and his own belief that Gandhi's words would be more relevant today.

"Every world leader says he loves Gandhi but few world leaders follow his words. But Gandhi taught us that all conflict have non violent solutions."

Referring to Obama deciding to send more troops to Afghanistan, he said, his hope was that all world leaders would stop using troops and violence.

But he said he does believe that Gandhi would be "very very proud" of his decision because "Gandhi himself auctioned off many of the gifts" received to raise money to good causes.