Thuppal: Gandhi’s effects given back, India shortchanged

‘ ‘ ‘ Mahatma Gandhi was a man of few possessions, but somehow so many of them have found their… ‘ ‘ ‘ Mahatma Gandhi was a man of few possessions, but somehow so many of them have found their way into James Otis’ hands. Otis, a collector from the United States, is the owner of several of Gandhi’s belongings, including his sandals, a pocket watch and his iconic round eyeglasses. ‘ ‘ ‘ Despite possessing such treasured memorabilia, Otis hasn’t received any publicity until recently. He wants to auction the items through a New-York-based auctioneer. The auction, originally scheduled for March 4-5, was delayed in response to numerous outcries against it. ‘ ‘ ‘ Among the items are Gandhi’s eyeglasses, through which he was given ‘the vision to free India.’ There is no question that such objects hold a special place in the heart of many Indians. According to a BBC interview with Gandhi’s great-grandson, Gandhi gave the items away at various points during his life. Now that they have resurfaced, efforts are being made to bring them back to India. ‘ ‘ ‘ Indian officials demanded that Gandhi’s personal effects return to India, and they have vowed to bid for them, if necessary. They have also met with Otis in an attempt to stop the auction and bring Gandhi’s items back to his homeland. ‘ ‘ ‘ But upon meeting with Otis, the Indian government workers were baffled by his conditions. One might expect that Otis would want monetary compensation. Instead, he asked that the Indian government increase spending on its poorest citizens or create an international traveling exhibit about Gandhi that would feature the items in contention. ‘ ‘ ‘ During the 1930s and ’40s, Gandhi was pivotal in the push for Indian independence from British rule. His philosophies of nonviolence helped unite a country and bring about a new age in its development. Thus, one could suppose that India would willingly submit to Otis’ demands as a means of bringing a piece of their hero back home. ‘ ‘ ‘ But that’s far from the truth given the reluctance of Indian diplomats to agree to Otis’ proposals. Though his intentions with his poverty initiative seem honorable, the time he’s given to make such decisions is much too short. The gravity of Otis’ mandate and of the items themselves warrants more time to negotiate, in the views of Indian officials. ‘ ‘ ‘ Maybe Otis just watched ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ and was propelled to make a difference in the lives of India’s forgotten people. Maybe not. Regardless of his motivation, Otis lacks focus and understanding of the situation. He has done more to antagonize India than actually help it. ‘ ‘ ‘ Even if India was to spend more on the developing programs for the poor, asking for such a commitment from the national government is rather foolish. When looking at similar efforts in the past, it’s easy to see why. ‘ ‘ ‘ ‘ Plans to clean up the Ganges River in India have fallen incredibly short of their targets and continue to be ineffective. The initiative, started in the late ’80s, was put into action by the federal Indian government but has failed to capture the interest of state and local governments, rendering it powerless. Clearly, if Otis wants dramatic change in India, he shouldn’t be seeking the aid of politicians. ‘ ‘ ‘ Perhaps Otis learned that lesson more easily than expected, because as it stands, he agreed to stop the auction in favor of his other demand. According to The New York Times, Otis and Indian officials emerged from their negotiations with a plan to create a series of events that celebrated Gandhi’s legacy of nonviolence and included the items that were to be auctioned. ‘ ‘ ‘ Although the proposed traveling exhibit will be a memorial to the life and achievements of Gandhi, it also signifies a lost opportunity. Otis could have used his leverage to affect change in India. Had he actually taken the time to deal with the Indian diplomats and negotiate a detailed plan, real and meaningful change might have occurred. ‘ ‘ ‘ Even though the Indian government proved ineffective in the past, the media coverage surrounding this story would have guaranteed the completion of this initiative. Gandhi still has a strong presence in India to this day, but Otis could have turned that energy into a tangible manifestation. E-mail Hay at hat23@pitt.edu.