We wish that the famous Koh-i-noor diamond should have been given back to Bharat on the day when it was granted freedom. As a friendly gesture, UK can return the same but otherwise, the queen or her successors may never wish to do it as that diamond is kept there as a sign of their victory in the past. If we succeed through legal battle, it would still be better if UK itself comes forward to give it before the process starts.

It should have been done long back. The Koh-i-noor was mined in India and changed hands within India based on whoever was in power. It reached the Mughals followed by the Sultan of Afganistan Shah Shuja and ultimately Maharaja Ranjit Singh who willed it to a temple but the Britishers did not follow the will and took it conveniently because they were ruling the country at that time. It should very much be demanded back.

Yes, I read about it that a group lead by David D'souza has started a campaign against Queen for bringing Kohinoor back to India. 

Yes David De' Souza from Indian  Leisure group took the campaign and says that the 105 carat diamond from India was stolen from India and demands that the British Government should return it back.

rambabu wrote:

Yes David De' Souza from Indian  Leisure group took the campaign and says that the 105 carat diamond from India was stolen from India and demands that the British Government should return it back.

 

As much I know it was not stolen but was gifted to Queen during English rule.

 

suni51 wrote:

rambabu wrote:

Yes David De' Souza from Indian  Leisure group took the campaign and says that the 105 carat diamond from India was stolen from India and demands that the British Government should return it back.

 

As much I know it was not stolen but was gifted to Queen during English rule.

There are different versions. The jewel was given to the reigning queen of the time by the last ruler of the Sikhs Duleep Singh after the British annexed Punjab. Then over the years, it was passed on to the Britishers and landed finally in the Britain. But the present Group says that the British had stolen the Diamond according to the article link

 

 

If it was stolen then it must be returned to India. Now, the point is that suppose it was gifted, then, how can one ask it return? It's so controversial.

There are two versions. One version is Kohinoor was gifted by the last Sikh ruler after the British annexed the Punjab. But the present group of a few Indians from Britain and a few Artists dubbed it as stolen. This is given in the link article.

It was not gifted. Maharaja Ranjit Singh had built the huge sikh empire and the Britishers were quite wary of him, but after his death ,the empire started collapsing. His sons were incompetent . They lost the first Anglo-Sikh war. His older sons were removed off power and then died( I think). Duleep Singh was his youngest son and was ruling at that time. He was a very young boy and was being advised by his mother. Then, the Lahore treaty was signed .The Britishers took advantage of this win, and showed that The koh i noor,which was with Ranjit Singh's family, was gifted to the Britishers but actually they took it because they won the Anglo Sikh war. Actually it was willed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to be donated to a temple(don't know which). Those interested in History of that period do read'The Return of a King' by William Dalrymple..Engrossing!!

Lopamudra wrote:

It was not gifted. Maharaja Ranjit Singh had built the huge sikh empire and the Britishers were quite wary of him, but after his death ,the empire started collapsing. His sons were incompetent . They lost the first Anglo-Sikh war. His older sons were removed off power and then died( I think). Duleep Singh was his youngest son and was ruling at that time. He was a very young boy and was being advised by his mother. Then, the Lahore treaty was signed .The Britishers took advantage of this win, and showed that The koh i noor,which was with Ranjit Singh's family, was gifted to the Britishers but actually they took it because they won the Anglo Sikh war. Actually it was willed by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to be donated to a temple(don't know which). Those interested in History of that period do read'The Return of a King' by William Dalrymple..Engrossing!!

According to what little I have read about history of that particular period, yours come closest to the truth and therefore I too agree that the Queen should be challenged and brought back. However, I think that unless and until the group who is campaigning for the diamond to be brought back have thought thoroughly about preserving and protecting the gem . Unless and until they arfe not ready to do so or have no provisions for the same, let it remain with the British Royalty for it will be protected there much better than in India.

Reason I am saying so is a recent heartwrenching incident that occurred in Maharashtra a couple of years ago. In 1998, a copper box was found in a farm while ploughing in a small seaside town of Diveagar, Raigad district, Konkan. The box was found to contain a 1.5 kilogram pure gold statue of Ganesh inscribed with Sanskrit script which upon study, revealed it to date back to 10th century. A temple was built to house the Ganesha and it lead to increase in tourism and prosperity of the village. However, as always, not much attention was paid to security and about two years ago, the idol was stolen. After an intensive manhunt, the culprits were identified and apprehended, although by the time they were caught, they had managed to sell the idol and the buyers had melted it already. This is the state of totally sad affairs relating to preservation and protection of artefacts that narrate tales of our ancient history! So unless anyone can guarantee such things cannot happen, only then the gem should be brought back.