Wednesday 4 March 2009

The Maha irony about Mahatma's posessions!

Just a passing thought! I have been reading on TV and newspapers in the past couple of days on how India put up a claim on Mahatma Gandhi's items, that James Otis, a collector from USA, currently holds. The New Delhi, high court even has passed a stay against the auctioning of the items, but the auction still goes on!

I find it extremely ironical on two fronts
- That the politicians who have succesfully limited the Mahatma as a wall hanging in the corridors and as statues in chowks and before the assembly halls, are now demanding for the posessions.
- That Gandhiji all his life wanted detachment (non-attachment to wordly posessions). India which claims to be following Gandhi-ism, now wants those posessions.
- James Otis, claims to give up the posession of the items if India promises to uplift the GDP of the poorest of the poor by 5% (or to 5%, I fail to recollect the exact representation). What ever the representation, I find it very ironical, that a man who may be doing this for money (un-Gandhi way) wants to blackmail a nation, on an account which can't be measured!

I am sure Mahatmaji, whereever you are, you have smirk across your face, looking at all these (including my writing!)

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