HONG KONG (AP) — Sotheby's on Wednesday deferred a scheduled auction of jewels linked to Buddha’s relics after the Indian government objected to the sale and requested its immediate cessation.

The auction house said that the gems for sale were found buried together in containers with the body parts of the historical Buddha. They were discovered in northern India in 1898. The auction house also said that they were from around 240-200 BC.

However, the Indian Ministry of Culture announced on Tuesday via a Facebook post that it had served Sotheby's Hong Kong with a legal notice, insisting on the immediate cessation of the sale and alleging that the auction contravened "Indian legislation, international standards, and UN agreements."

In a letter to Sotheby's Hong Kong, shared on Facebook, the group stated that the auction includes holy Buddhist items that are an important part of the religious and cultural history of India and Buddhists around the world. It asked for these items to be sent back to the Indian government and for the auction house and Chris Peppé to say sorry publicly.

Peppé is a descendant of the British William Peppé, who unearthed the relics.

The Indian government warned in the letter that if they did not follow the rules, there would be legal actions and public campaigns showing how the auction house was involved in continuing colonial unfairness and helping with the wrong sale of religious items.

Sotheby's declared the postponement in a statement on Wednesday, acknowledging the issues brought up by the Indian government and stating it was done with the consent of the consignors.

“This will enable discussions between the parties, and we anticipate sharing any updates as appropriate,” it stated.

Some of Sotheby’s web pages pertaining to the auction had become inaccessible by Wednesday.

The Indian Ministry of Culture announced on Facebook on Wednesday that it was "pleased to inform" of the auction's postponement following its intervention.