14 March,2009 11:31 AM IST | | PTI
A week after Mahatma Gandhi's personal belongings went under the hammer here, the US-based owner of the items on Saturday said he wanted the articles back from the auction house as he was unhappy over the 'dispute' between liquor baron Vijay Mallya, who bought it for $1.8 million, and the Indian government over the memorabilia.
"The gentleman (the one who bought Gandhi's items) is from the opposing party than the government. So, they are already in dispute over what is going to happen to the items," James Otis, owner of the five articles, said.
He was non-committal when asked by PTI whether he would donate the items to India if he got them back.
Otis said he would negotiate with India on the "two proposals he had submitted increase in the spending on the poor and fully paid exhibition of Gandhi's items in 78 countries to spread the apostle of peace's message of non-violence."
Apparently referring to Mallya refuting claim of Union Culture Minister Ambika Soni that the government was in touch with him before the auction on March 6, Otis said it has become a political issue and it "doesn't seem very Gandhian".
Hours before the auction, Otis offered to withdraw them from the auction but the auction house did not agree.
