New Delhi: The Indian government is now trying to ensure that Mahatma Gandhi's personal belongings are not auctioned to private bidders in America.

The belongings include Bapu's iconic metal rimmed glasses, his sandals and his pocket watch.

The government will approach the owners directly and ask them not to sell them but hand them over to India instead.

If owners do not agree, the government will approach the auctioneers to take them off the bidding list, and failing this it will ask an NRI or association to buy them and donate them to India.