The Indian government has issued a strong legal notice in an attempt to stop the planned auction of ancient gem relics connected to the Buddha. These gems, which are set to go under the hammer at Sotheby’s in Hong Kong on 7 May, have sparked international outcry among scholars, religious leaders, and cultural authorities. Calling the auction “unethical,” India’s Ministry of Culture said the relics should not be treated as simple artifacts or collectibles, but as sacred remains tied to Gautama Buddha, the founder of Buddhism. “Inalienable Heritage” of India and Buddhism In a formal letter posted on its Instagram account, the ministry stated that the Piprahwa relics “constitute inalienable religious and cultural heritage of India and the global Buddhist community.” It demanded that Sotheby’s and the current sellers immediately stop the auction, which is expected to fetch nearly HK$100 million (around £9.7 million). The letter was directed to Sotheby’s Hong Kong and Chris Peppé, one of the heirs of William Claxton Peppé, a British colonial landowner who unearthed the gems in 1898 at his estate in Piprahwa, northern India. Indian Government Alleges Violations of Law and Ethics According to the Ministry of Culture, the auction violates Indian and international laws, as well as United Nations cultural conventions. The government stated that these sacred items “cannot be commodified” and must be repatriated for religious preservation. The letter also accused Sotheby’s of “participating in continued colonial exploitation” by holding the sale. Demand for Apology and Legal Threats India didn’t just demand the return of the relics—it called for a public apology from both Sotheby’s and Chris Peppé to the Indian government and Buddhists around the world. The ministry asked for full disclosure of all provenance documents, along with the return of any other relics still held by Peppé’s family or transferred to others. The letter warned that if these demands are not met, legal action will be taken in both Indian and Hong Kong courts, and through international cultural protection bodies. In addition, the Indian government said it plans to launch a public awareness campaign to highlight Sotheby’s role in what it called the “unethical sale of religious relics.” What Are the Piprahwa Gems? The Piprahwa gems are believed to be relic offerings buried alongside the cremated remains of the Buddha, who died around 480 BC. The burial took place between 240–200 BC, when the relics were placed in a stupa—a dome-shaped monument used to house sacred remains. The items include amethysts, garnets, coral, rock crystals, pearls, gold, and shells—some shaped into beads and ornaments, others left in their natural form. When they were first excavated in the 19th century, most of the treasures were handed over to what is now the Indian Museum in Kolkata. However, about a fifth of the collection remained with Peppé’s family as “duplicates.” Dispute Over Ownership and Sacred Status India’s Ministry of Culture strongly challenged the right of the sellers to auction the gems. It said the materials from a sacred Buddhist funerary mound are “inseparable from the sacred relics” and must not be sold or misused. “We beg to note that the relics of the Buddha cannot be treated as ‘specimens’ but as the sacred body and originally interred offerings to the sacred body of the Buddha,” the letter stated. The ministry further said the heirs, who describe themselves as custodians, “had no right to alienate or misappropriate the asset … an extraordinary heritage of humanity” and should have maintained them with “an unflinching sentiment of veneration.” The auction, according to the ministry, “offends the sentiments of over 500 million Buddhists worldwide,” violates religious ethics, and disturbs sacred traditions that have been respected for centuries. Sellers and Auction House Respond Chris Peppé, a television director and film editor based in Los Angeles, has not made a public statement yet but earlier told The Guardian, “The Piprahwa gems were relic offerings made at the time of the reinterment of the Buddha’s ashes over 200 years after his passing. I have not found any Buddhists who claim the gems are corporeal remains.” He also defended the legal right of his family to sell the relics, saying, “Legally, the ownership is unchallenged.” Sotheby’s, meanwhile, said it has carried out “requisite due diligence,” including verification of provenance and legality. The auction house has not issued a new public statement, but India’s culture ministry confirmed that Sotheby’s has acknowledged receipt of the legal notice and promised to give the matter its “full attention.” Also Read: Congress MP, Priyanka Gandhi, Aids Injured Family After Kozhikode Road Crash