Govt will bring back Gandhi manuscript: Pranab

NEW DELHI: Government has decided to bring back the rare manuscript of Mahatma Gandhi written just a fortnight before his assassination from London.

"There is no need to worry about this great manuscript. It will be available to the country," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said.

He was asked about how the government propose to acquire the manuscript after its auction by London-based Christie's was aborted on Monday following negotiations by the Indian mission.

"My ministry has decided to bring it back. We have talked to the person concerned," the minister said.

The Christie's had earlier fixed a reserve price of 9,000 to 12,000 pounds for Gandhiji's manuscript written on January 11, nineteen days before his assassination.

The sale had been slated for Tuesday, but when the mission established that the ownership of the manuscript lies with the Ahmedabad-based Navjiwan Trust, it was withdrawn from the auction.

In the handwritten article, which was published in the journal 'Harijan', the Mahatma pleaded for tolerance towards Muslims. He also advocated the importance of Urdu and said any boycott on Urdu script is a wanton affront on the Muslims of the Union.