Addressed to the additional secretary of the government of

India in New Delhi, the letter says: "It is unthinkable that when India's millions are suffering from preventable starvation and thousands are dying of it, thousands of men and women should be kept in detention of mere suspicion when their energy and the expense incurred in keeping them under duress could at this critical time be usefully employed in relieving distress." The letter signed and dated Detention Camp October 26th 1943 has two textual corrections in Gandhi's hand signed by him at the end. In the letter, he adds: "As the Government are aware, I offered to meet the member of the Working Committee in order to discuss the situation and to know their mind, but my offer was rejected. I had thought and still think that my talk with them might have some value from the Government stand-point. "Hence I repeat my offer. But it may have not such value so long as the Government doubt my bona fides. As a Satyagrahi however, in spite of the handicap, I must reiterate what I hold to be good and of immediate importance in terms of war effort. "But if my offer has no chance of being accepted so long as I retain my present views, and if the Government think that it is only my evil influence that corrupts people, I submit that the members of the Working Committee and other detenus should be discharged." The sale at Shropshire in the West Midlands also features a large quantity of important Indian documents and artefacts, including manuscripts, letters, photographs and original art.