Mahatma Gandhi’s Glasses

“Mahatma Gandhi’s glasses,” CNN-IBN informs us, “along with some of his other possessions will go under the hammer in New York on March, 4-5, 2009.” And as you’d expect, some people are offended. “A staunch Gandhian” has been quoted as saying:

Any object associated with the Mahatma, the father of the Nation is our national heritage naturally. If that is auctioned it is not only an insult, it is also intolerable. We request US President Barack Obama to please honour our sentiments.

Immense WTFness implodes. Mahatma Gandhi’s glasses are our “national heritage”? Obama should “honour our sentiments”? Does anyone imagine that Gandhi himself would waste his time over such trivial matters, or that he would approve of this idol worship of himself?

Taking offence has clearly become our national pastime, and I hereby suggest that our honourable government institutes a Ministry of Offence to look after our interests. Just as we have a Defence Minister, we should have an Offence Minister. And no one should be allowed to get offended without:

a] Having a license for it. OR

b] Taking permission in triplicate from the ministry, six months in advance.

This is one of those rare areas in which government intervention might actually be solution. If my libertarian buddies are offended at that suggestion, well, such it goes.

(HT: Vineet.)