London-based global auctioneers Mullocks is set to auction a large collection of Mahatma Gandhi's memorabilia on Tuesday increasing pressure on the Congress-led UPA government to either purchase the items being auctioned or postpone the bidding for the time being.
The priceless items belonging to Mahatma Gandhi that will go under hammer include a copy of a will, a pair of worn out sandals, a shawl woven by the Father of the Nation himself, recordings of his speeches and a microscope slide with a drop of his blood.
The auction house, located at Ludlow Racecourse in London, has faced intense criticism for selling the priceless belongings of the Mahatma.
According to reports, some close admirers of Gandhi, including Antony Chittattukara- a retired teacher, have offered these items for auction in the first place.
The auction date was announced after completing all formalities like furnishing clarifications for the authenticity of the articles and the circumstances under which they came into Chittattukara’s possession.
Chittattukara had kept these items in bank lockers for nearly 20 years.
According to Chittattukara, the soil soaked with the Mahatma's blood was collected by one Subedar P P Nambiar, who was one of the security guards posted outside the Birla House before Gandhi was shot dead.
Nambiar had kept it with him for a long time.
Some time ago, he issued an advertisement in newspapers in Kerala that he was willing to hand it over to the person who was ready to preserve it. Chittattukara then approached Nambiar and got a pinch of it from him for his collection.
Meanwhile, some items of Adolf Hitler will also be put on auction.
