The Indian government has revealed in a 'Right to Information' query that India may not be able to bring back the Kohinoor diamond.
Citing a law, Archaeological Survey of India has said it can only take up the retrieval of those antiquities that were exported illegally after the independence of the country.
"Since the object referred by you has been taken out of the country prior to the independence, the Archaeological Survey of India is not in a position to process the matter," the culture ministry of India replied to an RTI query by news agency PTI.
The ministry also informed that there was no list of items with the Archaeological Survey of India that India wants to claim from Britain.
Hearing a public interest litigation, India's supreme court on Friday had sought clarification from India's government about what it was doing to bring back Kohinoor.
The 105-carat diamond is on display at The Tower of London.
While British prime minister David Cameron has already ruled out returning Kohinoor to India, Labor MP Keith Vaz supported the demand made by Indian MP Shashi Tharoor last year during his Oxford Union address.
"These are genuine grievances which must be addressed. Pursuing monetary reparations is complex, time-consuming and potentially fruitless. But there is no excuse for not returning the precious items such as the Kohinoor diamond, a campaign I have backed for many years," said Keith Vaz.
Kohinoor was transferred to the treasury of the British East India Company after the conquest of Punjab in 1849. The diamond was shipped to England in 1850 and was occasionally worn by queen Victoria. She left in her will that the diamond be worn only by a female queen.
These are genuine grievances which must be addressed. Pursuing monetary reparations is complex, time consuming and potentially fruitless, but there is no excuse for not returning precious items such as the Kohinoor diamond, a campaign I have backed for many years," said Vaz, a Labour M - See more at http://www.thenewsminute.com/article/india-and-legacy-kohinoor-diamond-five-things-know-31211#sthash.hg6XM1bZ.d was shifted to the treasury of the British East India Company after the conquest of Punjab in 1849. The diamond was shipped to London in 1850.
"Since the object referred by you (Kohinoor) has been taken out of the country prior to the Independence, the Archaeological Survey of India is not in a position to process the matter," the Culture Ministry said in reply to an RTI query filed by PTI.
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"Since the object referred by you (Kohinoor) has been taken out of the country prior to the Independence, the Archaeological Survey of India is not in a position to process the matter," the Culture Ministry said in reply to an RTI query filed by PTI.
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