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P
ROPOSAL
 
TO
 
THE
G
OVERNMENT
 
OF
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NDIA
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ROM
G
ANDHI
’
S
P
OSSESSIONS
 
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ANDHI
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A
CTIONS
 James Otis agrees to withdraw the Gandhi items from the AntiquorumAuctioneers auction if the Government of India agrees either to1)Substantially increase the proportion of the Indian governmentbudget spent on health care for the poor to shift priorities frommilitary spending to the health care of the Indian people,specifically the poor.2)To provide financial support and the good offices of Indianembassies and consulates, as well as other contacts in the Indiancommunity, to support educational events that use the Gandhiitems to promote Gandhian nonviolent resistance in 78 countriesaround the world, one for each of the number of years Gandhijigraced us with his life on the planet. They would bring togetherconcerned citizens, nonviolent activists, civic and governmentleaders to grapple with the meaning of Gandhi’s message fortoday’s world. Educational programs would accompany theexhibit for the schools and universities in the region that wouldencourage the study of Gandhian nonviolenceWe anxiously look forward to your reply and to working out details withyou tomorrow if there is some agreement to either of these proposals.
 
G
ANDHIAN
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ONVIOLENCE
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ARE
 
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OOR
 There are people in the world so hungry that God cannot appearto them except in the form of bread.-- Mahatma GandhiIn the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi’s emphasis on caring for the poorest of the poor, the Indian government would commit to substantiallyincreasing the proportion of the Indian government budget that isspent on health care over the coming decade. This would involve ashift in priorities from military spending to the health care of the Indianpeople, especially the poor.Details will be worked out with the Government of India’s healthministry and experts in public health with measures for indicating overtime the actual shift in the spending priorities. Although India hasmade many improvements in its public health in recent years.according to the World Health Organization only 25 percent India’s GDPthat is dedicated to health care is paid out for public health initiatives. The other 75 percent of health care expenditures comes from privatefunding. This dramatic gesture would demonstrate to the entireworld the commitment of the Indian government tofollowing the principles of Gandhi’s historicalmessage that is just as relevant today.
 
P
ROPOSAL
 
FOR
 
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78-N
ATION
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ORLDWIDE
G
ANDHIAN
N
ONVIOLENCE
T
OUR
We have never needed the example and message of Mahatma Gandhimore than at this crucial point in human history. His emphasis onnonviolent resistance to tyranny in any form and the use of nonviolence as a means for engaging in creative conflict has inspiredcountless individuals and movements for civic improvement around theworld, from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the US civil rights movementto contemporary human rights, prodemocracy movements and otherstruggles for the improvement of life on the planet. The shiningexample of the Indian Freedom Movement could help to light the pathtoward a better future on the planet.We propose that the Government of India would offer the following:
•
Its good offices of embassies and consulates, as well as othercontacts in the Indian community, to facilitate events around theworld that educate and promote awareness and dialogue with
o
Government leaders and heads of state
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Concerned citizens, NGO’s, and civic activists
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Scholars of Gandhi and nonviolent social movements
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Educational events for schools and universities
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 The exhibit will travel to a minimum of 78 countries, one for eachof the number of years Gandhiji graced us with his life on theplanet. It would travel for a period of ten years, reaching a largenumber of the major capitals in Asia, the Middle East, Africa,Europe, and North and South America.
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Complete funding for the events, including the transportationand security of the exhibit items, and publicity for each event.
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An adequate administrative budget for the preparation of theexhibit events and organizing of the schedule. James Otis would donate to the Government of India the itemsscheduled to go to auction. He would also loan additional items fromhis collection regarding other nonviolent heroes from around the worldincluding such items as a letter from Dr. King asking for support for theanti-apartheid movement in South Africa, a United Farm Workers flagsigned by Cesar Chavez, Jane Addam’s comb and brush from HullHouse. The exhibit will also include a sample of Gandhi’s blood fromthe site of his assassination and ashes from his cremation. The content of the program would be determined by a committeeappointed and chaired by James Otis and Lester Kurtz in consultationwith Gandhian scholars from India such as Dr. N Radhakrishan, Dr.Savita Singh, or Dr. S. Jeyapragasam as well as others.
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gs_chandy

I do sincerely hope that the efforts of James Otis and Lester Kurtz will force the Indian government to do something significant in the direction of promoting Gandhian ideas and ideals. I fear that nothing of the sort will happen on the ground. The Indian government may well manage to 'rescue' the Gandhi memorabilia thanks to the gesture of M/s Otis and Kurtz. But there will be no enhancement in practice of Gandhian thinking or living, alas. However, we should all laud this brave effort.

reply03 / 05 / 2009
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