Gandhi's 'unity' letter sells for GBP 11k

LONDON: An anonymous Briton bought a Mahatma Gandhi letter for £11,400 at an auction in London on Tuesday evening. Bonhams, the auctioneers, described the document as "one of the most important Gandhi letters to come in the market in 30 years".

The letter, written on December 15, 1919, refers to India's "passive resistance" against the British rule and the need for Hindu-Muslim unity. It was earlier estimated to sell for £8,000-10,000.

"I venture to claim that I have rendered a service of the highest order by advising the Mohamedans of India to express their sentiments in a restrained manner and by advising the Hindus to make common cause with them," the Mahatma wrote in the letter. Gandhi declares his "relentless pursuit of truth" and explains his attitude towards and actions vis-a-vis the British and his position in relation to the Khilafat movement. The letter was dispatched from an address in Lahore — 2-Mozang Road and answers English journalist-novelist Edmund Candler's questions. The Mahatma refers to his central concepts of satya, ahimsa and satyagrahais.