Gandhi's letter to son accusing him of rape up for auction in UK
The
series
of
letters
is
part
of
Mullock's
Historical
Documents
Sale
at
Ludlow
Racecourse
on
May
22
Mullock's
Auctioneers
based
in
Shropshire
county
are
hoping
to
fetch
between
50,000
pounds
and
60,000
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 then our national freedom," says Gandhi in one of the letters in reference to allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Harilal.
"Manu is telling me number of dangerous things about you. She says that you had raped her before eight years and she was so much hurt that medical treatment was also to be taken," the letter reads, in reference to Harilal's daughter Manu who had come to stay with her grandfather at Sabarmati Ashram.
"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," Mullock's said in a statement.
Harilal Gandhi had wanted to go to England to study to become a barrister like his father but Mahatma had firmly opposed this believing a Western education would not be helpful in the struggle against British Raj.
This led to Harilal renouncing all family ties in 1911 and his troubled relationship with his father continued throughout his life.
"Please let me have pure truth please tell me if still you are interested in alcohol and debauchery. I wish that you better die rather than resort to alcohol in any manner," adds another autographed letter.
The series of letters is part of Mullock's Historical Documents Sale at Ludlow Racecourse on May 22.
PTI