India is preparing legislation to prevent more of Mahatma Gandhis belongings being auctioned off abroad, after a recent sale sparked outrage, the Press Trust of India reported Sunday. A senior official at the ministry of culture told the news agency that the government planned to obtain injunctions in advance in European and US courts against possible auctions of Gandhis possessions.
"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," the official was quoted as saying.
"No one has the right to do this." India opposed an auction in New York last week of the independence leaders glasses, leather sandals and pocket watch, saying they were all a part of the nations heritage.
It said the sale insulted the memory of a man who rejected material wealth. The items were finally bought for two million dollars including commission by Indian liquor and airline baron Vijay Mallya, who said he planned to return them to India. Negotiations between Indian diplomats and the auction house, and an attempt at the last minute by owner James Otis to withdraw the pieces, both failed to stop the sale.
The report said the culture ministry wanted to create a database of Gandhi memorabilia in India and abroad to make them easier to track.