The government is likely to approach Britain soon to retrieve the Kohinoor diamond from the British crown.
The government is likely to approach Britain soon to retrieve the Kohinoor diamond from the British crown. According to news agency reports, the decision was taken at a high-level meeting on Friday which was attended by external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, culture minister Mahesh Sharma and Cabinet Secretary P.K. Sinha among others, with indications that Britain may be approached on the issue soon.
The meeting also reportedly discussed possibility of signing a treaty with the UK wherein Britain may be assured that India would not claim any other artefacts in Britain except the Kohinoor diamond. The meeting apparently lasted for over 45 minutes.
In 2010, the then UK Prime Minister David Cameron, during a visit to India, had reportedly said that if Britain agrees to return the diamond, “you suddenly find the British Museum empty.” Just in April this year, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had said India “remains committed” to bringing back the Kohinoor diamond “which has strong roots in our history”. Replying to a question on the Kohinoor issue, the MEA had then said, “The Government of India remains committed to bringing back (from the UK) in an amicable fashion the valuable artefact which has strong roots in our history. The Government of India will take all steps which are necessary to bring back the Kohinoor in an amicable manner.”
Subsequently, the Union Government had stated in April, “It may be added that ever since he has taken over as PM, Mr. Narendra Modi’s efforts led to three significant pieces of India’s history coming back home. ... Thus, with regard to the Kohinoor Diamond too, Government of India remains hopeful for an amicable outcome whereby India gets back a valued piece of art with strong roots in our nation’s history.” It added, “The Government of India further reiterates its resolve to make all possible efforts to bring back the Kohinoor Diamond in an amicable manner. The Solicitor General of India informed the Honourable (Supreme) Court about the history of the diamond ... it should be reaffirmed that the Government of India has not yet conveyed its views to the court ... The status report on which the preliminary submission was made by the Solicitor General have references to the stand taken by Governments earlier that the Kohinoor was a gift and cannot be categorised as an object stolen. The material further has references to the views of India’s first Prime Minister Mr. Jawaharlal
Nehru dating back to 1956. Mr. Nehru went on record saying that there is no ground to claim this art treasure back. He also added that efforts to get the Kohinoor back would lead to difficulties.”
According to news agency reports, the 108-carat unique Kohinoor diamond is estimated to cost over USD 200 million. The diamond changed hands——-around the middle of the 19th century in the years after the death of Maharaja Ranjit Singh following the Anglo-Sikh wars that took place after his death——-from his successors to the victorious British. According to reports, Kohinoor, which means Mountain of Light, is a large, colourless diamond that was found in the Golconda mines in southern India in the early 14th century.
