Profiles in hegemony - II

Updated news on the Mahatma Gandhi memorabilia auction taking place today.

An interesting comment I noticed in the same article...

It is really outrageous that British who looted off the items from the countries that they so brutally occupied are still able to make money from this. The gall is that these sellers try to blackmail Asian countries by giving ultimatums - either improve the health care for poor, improve human rights or lose the items. Imagine if the tables were turned and items from Buckingham Palace or White house were being auctioned in India and China and these countries asking US and England to improve the race relations or else..

My sentiments too...

Part I here.

Profiles in hegemony

I wonder how would we as a nation feel if George Washington's personal items — including his footwear, watch and spectacles were auctioned off in India despite an American court order that explicitly forbade the auction in another country.

From here: Despite direct appeals from the Indian government and a last-minute stay from an Indian court, an auction of personal items of Mahatma Gandhi’s — including his sandals, bowl, watch and spectacles — is scheduled to go ahead on Thursday in New York City as planned, the auction house said Wednesday morning. “It’s still planned, still going ahead,” said Julien Schaerer, director of the New York watch department of Antiquorum, a leading watch auctioneer. Mr. Schaerer said they were not informed of the legal ruling. He also added, “I believe they don’t have jurisdiction in the United States.”

c. 1946: Indian street vendors of the Untouchables caste, carrying a box of figures in the likeness of Mohandas Gandhi. (Photo by Margaret Bourke-White/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)