Indians are fairly known of the diamond “Kohinoor” which has its origin in India and weighs 107.60 carats. It is one of the 5 rarest and most precious diamonds in the world which was mined in Golconda, India. It was owned by India till in 1849, after the conquest of Punjab by the East India Company, Kohinoor along with other properties was transferred to the treasury of the British East India Company in Lahore. The properties of the Sikh Empire were confiscated as war compensations along with one line of the Treaty of Lahore were dedicated to the fate of the Koh-i-Noor. The diamond was presented to Queen Victoria in July 1850.
The word “Kohinoor” is a Persian word which means “mountain of light” and the Government of India is now working hard to bring back that light of India back. The reports say that Indian Government is soon to approach British Government to get back Kohinoor, which is currently crafted on a royal crown displayed in the Tower of London.
This step was initiated and discussed in a high-level meeting held on Friday, which was attended by External affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma and Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha along with other high officials. The conclusion of the meeting was decided that the British Government would be approached next month on the issue.
There is also a possibility that India would sign a treaty with British Government that it wouldn’t claim any other artifacts or properties that are owned by the British Museums. The meeting lasted for about 45 minutes in which PM Narendra Modi directed to bring back Kohinoor to its place of origin.
This meeting was held as per the directions of Supreme Court who is asking for the take of the Central Government, that whether it would initiate any proceedings to get back Kohinoor or not. Presently, The Apex Court is hearing a case relating to the issue of bringing back the Kohinoor.
During his visit to India in 2010, the then UK Prime Minister David Cameron said that “once the Kohinoor is delivered to India; we will find the British Museum empty.”
The matter is complex as the diamond was neither ‘forcibly taken nor stolen’ by the British, but was presented as a gift to the East India Company by the rulers of Punjab. Complexities, in this case, are even more of the case date back to the pre-independence period and thus don’t fall under the purview of Antiquities and Art Treasures Act, 1972.
Anyways, the Government has ensured that all the required efforts would be made to bring back the diamond to India as it is not only who is claiming the diamond. There are three other countries who claim this gem and thus this is a matter of historic ownership dispute.
