Chatwal to bid for Gandhi memorabilia to bring them to India

With "no progress" in stopping the auction of Mahatma Gandhi's memorabilia, Sant Singh Chatwal, a prominent Indian-American leader who has apparently been approached by New Delhi, on Thursday said he and seven others will be bidding for the items to bring them back to India.

"I will be bidding for Gandhi's items. The auctioneers are going ahead with the auction.... I feel there is no progress in stopping the auction," Chatwal, a hotelier with
links with Democrats, told CNN-IBN from New York.

Chatwal said he does not know the price of the items and the Indian group was willing to pay ten times the estimate of the lot. Gandhiji's personal belongings -- metal-rimmed
glasses, pocket watch, a pair of sandals, a plate and a bowl -- owned by James Otis will be auctioned at the Antiquorum Auctioneers in New York.

"We will be physically there at the auction though it is an online auction. I need to see the progress myself. The price is going up and up, who knows what is going to be the
price. 

"We are chipping in as a community, we are eight... I am sure James Otis is trying to maximise the money for these items. Our idea is to get the items and bring them to India,
we will not keep them," he said.