HONG KONG (AP) — Sotheby’s stopped a planned sale of jewels linked to Buddha’s remains on Wednesday after the Indian government opposed the sale and asked for it to be stopped.

The auction house said that the jewels were found together in special boxes with the bones of the historical Buddha in northern India in 1898. They were from about 240-200 BC.

But India’s Ministry of Culture said on Facebook that they had sent a legal paper to Sotheby’s in Hong Kong. They wanted the sale to stop right away, saying the auction went against “Indian laws, international rules, and UN agreements.”

In a letter to Sotheby's Hong Kong, shared on Facebook, it was said that the auction included important Buddhist items. They said these items are a vital part of India's and the world's Buddhist religious and cultural history. The letter asked for the items to be sent back to the Indian government and for Sotheby's and Chris Peppé to apologize in public.

Peppé is a great-grandson of William Peppé from Britain, who found the relics by digging.

The Indian government sent a letter saying that if the auction house didn't do what was asked, they would face legal action and public campaigns. These campaigns would point out how the auction house was supporting unfair colonial practices and was involved in selling religious items improperly.

Sotheby's announced on Wednesday that they had delayed the sale. They mentioned the issues that the Indian government had raised, and said the people selling the items had agreed to the delay.

"This will help the groups talk to each other, and we will share news when it is right to do so," it stated.

Some webpages on Sotheby’s website about the auction were difficult to access on Wednesday.

India's Ministry of Culture announced on Facebook on Wednesday that it was "happy to say" the auction was delayed after they stepped in.