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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Gandhi items 'to return to India' | Gandhi items 'to return to India' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| An auction of personal effects of Mahatma Gandhi has gone ahead, despite protests from India and the seller's last-minute attempt to halt it. | An auction of personal effects of Mahatma Gandhi has gone ahead, despite protests from India and the seller's last-minute attempt to halt it. |
| James Otis offered Gandhi's iconic round glasses, a pocket watch, leather sandals, plate and bowl for sale. | James Otis offered Gandhi's iconic round glasses, a pocket watch, leather sandals, plate and bowl for sale. |
| His decision to withdraw came only after bidding had begun and the items sold for $1.8m (£1.27m). | His decision to withdraw came only after bidding had begun and the items sold for $1.8m (£1.27m). |
| They were bought by Indian businessman Vijay Mallya, who plans to return them to India, his agent said. | |
| "I am sure all Indians will be pleased that these Gandhi items will be coming home," said Tony Bedi, who had bid at the auction on Mr Mallya's behalf. | "I am sure all Indians will be pleased that these Gandhi items will be coming home," said Tony Bedi, who had bid at the auction on Mr Mallya's behalf. |
| "Basically he was bidding for the country," said Mr Bedi. | "Basically he was bidding for the country," said Mr Bedi. |
| The Antiquorum auction house in New York says it will not finalise the sale for two weeks to allow any legal issues to be resolved. | The Antiquorum auction house in New York says it will not finalise the sale for two weeks to allow any legal issues to be resolved. |
| Pressure | Pressure |
| Gandhi is widely revered in IndiaThe auction had led to uproar in India, with one minister calling it a "gross commercialisation". | Gandhi is widely revered in IndiaThe auction had led to uproar in India, with one minister calling it a "gross commercialisation". |
| The Indian government had come under immense pressure to bring back the items. | The Indian government had come under immense pressure to bring back the items. |
| "Gandhiji himself would not have agreed to these conditions," India's junior Foreign Minister Anand Sharma said earlier. | |
| "Gandhiji's memory and values should not be violated, the auction should not take place," he said. | "Gandhiji's memory and values should not be violated, the auction should not take place," he said. |
| Mr Otis, a peace activist, said that he wanted to sell the items to raise money to promote pacifism. | Mr Otis, a peace activist, said that he wanted to sell the items to raise money to promote pacifism. |
| He had earlier said he would withdraw the items from the auction and donate them to India if the Indian government allocated 5% of its budgetary spending for the poor. | He had earlier said he would withdraw the items from the auction and donate them to India if the Indian government allocated 5% of its budgetary spending for the poor. |
| But Mr Sharma said the Indian government could not "enter into such agreements where it involves specific areas of allocation of resources". | But Mr Sharma said the Indian government could not "enter into such agreements where it involves specific areas of allocation of resources". |
| 'Very dear' | 'Very dear' |
| Gandhi's spectacles, which he once said gave him "the vision to free India", a pair of his sandals and his pocket watch were among the five items due to be sold. A plate and a bowl used by Gandhi were also among the lots. | Gandhi's spectacles, which he once said gave him "the vision to free India", a pair of his sandals and his pocket watch were among the five items due to be sold. A plate and a bowl used by Gandhi were also among the lots. |
| His leather sandals were among the items auctioned | His leather sandals were among the items auctioned |
| "The Zenith watch that will be sold was gifted to him by Indira [Gandhi], who became the prime minister of India later on, and it was very dear to Bapu [Gandhi]," Gandhi's great-grandson Tushar Gandhi, told the BBC. | "The Zenith watch that will be sold was gifted to him by Indira [Gandhi], who became the prime minister of India later on, and it was very dear to Bapu [Gandhi]," Gandhi's great-grandson Tushar Gandhi, told the BBC. |
| "The plate and the bowl are the ones from which he took his last meal before he was murdered. | "The plate and the bowl are the ones from which he took his last meal before he was murdered. |
| "The sandals he made with his own hands, and he gifted them to a British army officer who had taken photographs during his halt in Aden when he was on his way to London to attend the round table conference [to discuss India's independence]," Mr Gandhi explained. | "The sandals he made with his own hands, and he gifted them to a British army officer who had taken photographs during his halt in Aden when he was on his way to London to attend the round table conference [to discuss India's independence]," Mr Gandhi explained. |
| Mahatma Gandhi is widely revered in India as the leader of the independence movement against British rule. | Mahatma Gandhi is widely revered in India as the leader of the independence movement against British rule. |