Did not participate in auction at Govt's behest: Mallya

Flamboyant industrialist Vijay Mallya today appeared displeased at the government's claim that it had arranged for procurement of Mahatma Gandhi's personal effects through him, saying his participation in the auction was purely a personal decision and a matter of pride. "I have not had any dialogue or any conversation with anybody in the government.
This was purely my personal decision," he told PTI over phone from France. Mallya, who had in 2004 bought Tipu Sultan's sword from a London auction house, said he was bringing Gandhi's memorabilia to Delhi and would be "presenting these to the government.
" Reacting to Tourism Minister Ambika Soni's statement that the government has "been able to procure them through the services of Mallya, who was in touch with us," Mallya said: "I'm not aware of what Ambika Soni has said, but neither before nor after the auction, anybody in the government was in touch with me."