Kounteya Sinha,TNN | May 14, 2014, 05.37 PM IST

Mahatma Gandhi's letters accusing son of rape up for auction in UK
Gandhi’s letters are to go under the hammer in England.
LONDON: An auction house that has earlier auctioned Mahatma Gandhi’s blood and his will, has now put up on sale three explosive letters that for the first time ever reveal Gandhi’s deep concerns over the behaviour of his eldest son Harilal.Mullock’s Auctioneers are hoping to fetch over a 100,000 pounds for a set of three letters written by the Father of the Nation in June 1935.”You should know that your problem has become much more difficult for me even, even more than our national freedom. Manu is telling me a number of dangerous things about you. She says that you had raped her even before she was eight years and she was so badly hurt that medical treatment also had to be taken,” Gandhi says in one of the letters in reference to Harilal’s daughter Manu who had come to stay with her grandfather at Sabarmati Ashram.

Mullock’s said in a statement “The letters are written in Gujarati and are in good condition. These have come via descent from a branch of Gandhi’s family to the present vendor. As far as we are aware they have never before been seen in public and as such they provide remarkable new information on the troubled relationship Gandhi had with his son”.

Another rare autographed letter reads “Please let me have the pure truth, please tell me if you are still interested in alcohol and debauchery. I wish that you would rather die than resort to alcohol in any manner”.

The series of letters is part of Mullock’s Historical Documents Sale on May 22.The auctioneers have earlier sold 50 rare personal objects belonging to Gandhi that included a drop of his blood for a whopping Rs 2.5 crore or 287,000 pounds.

The biggest grosser in that sale was the will Gandhi left his son. It sold for 55,000 pounds or Rs 46 lakhs. It was followed by his personal shawl made from linen thread he spun himself that sold for 40,000 pounds or Rs 34 lakhs. A power of attorney from Gandhi sold for 25,000 pounds or Rs 21 lakhs.

Gandhi’s Power of Attorney was hand signed by him dated November 1920, written on four pages with various stamps of the Bank of Baroda and the Bank of India as well as the seal of the sub-registrar of Ahmedabad will also be sold.

His blood sold for 7000 pounds (Rs 6 lakhs), prayer beads 9500 pounds (Rs 8 lakhs), sandals 19000 pounds (Rs 16 lakhs), drinking vessel 8000 pounds (7 lakhs) and eating bowl 12000 pounds (Rs 10 lakhs)

The May 22 sale also includes another set of 27 autographed letters to Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit, Jawaharlal Nehru’s sister, some written by Gandhi from prison.

“Women have done more work than us. Even so much remains to be done. The modern world has as yet seen the like of India’s woman power. I am convinced they will go much further ahead and I will be very surprised if you do not play a very big part in this,” reads a letter dated November 11, 1930.

Read mor ehere – http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Mahatma-Gandhis-letters-accusing-son-of-rape-up-for-auction-in-UK/articleshow/35116716.cms