Govt makes a U-turn on Kohinoor diamond

New Delhi, Apr 19, 2016, (PTI)

Government tonight made a U-turn on the Kohinoor issue saying it will make all efforts to bring back the valued diamond it had said in the Supreme Court was "neither stolen nor forcibly" taken by British rulers but given to it by erstwhile rulers of Punjab.

In a statement, the government claimed it has not yet conveyed its views to the court "contrary to what is being misrepresented" in the media. 

The government statement came a day after the Solicitor General told the Supreme Court, "Kohinoor cannot be said to have been forcibly taken or stolen as it was given by the successors of Maharaja Ranjit Singh to East India Company in 1849 as compensation for helping them in the Sikh wars."

The court was hearing a PIL which sought government action for the return of over USD 200 million Kohinoor diamond from the UK.

Wishing to put on record that the news items on the issue "are not based on facts", the official release said the government reiterates its resolve to make all possible efforts to bring back the Kohinoor Diamond in an amicable manner. 

The release said the factual position is that the matter is sub-judice at present and the PIL is yet to be admitted.

"The Solicitor General of India was asked to seek the views of the government of India, which have not yet been conveyed. The Solicitor General of India informed the honourable court about the history of the diamond and gave an oral statement on the basis of the existing references made available by the ASI.

"Thus, it should be reaffirmed that the government of India has not yet conveyed its views to the court, contrary to what is being misrepresented," it said.

The release also noted that the court granted six weeks time on the prayer of the Solicitor General to take instructions for making his submission in the matter.

"... 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. 

While talking about the Centre's support to Jammu and Kashmir, the Prime Minister noted that during Mufti Mohammed Sayeed's period, the state got Rs 80,000 crore package for the development of the state.

"I got an opportunity to hold three programmes at the foothills of Mata Vaishno Devi cave shrine. I got an opportunity to meet the young talent at the first programme of convocation of the Shrine University.

"Very few people in India know that Jammu and Kashmir is providing education to the students of various parts of the country in a homely atmosphere.. This is the strength of Jammu and Kashmir which gives it recognition across the country," Modi said.

This comment assumes significance against the backdrop of controversy surrounding NIT in Srinagar which recently witnessed clashes between outstation and local students over India's defeat against West Indies in semi final of T-20 World Cup.

The Prime Minister, who also inaugurated a stadium here, also talked about sports. "When a youth from Kashmir shines across the country in the field of cricket, we feel proud... This sports complex will not only create good sportsmen but will create good sportsmanship as well," he said.

"India is hosting football under-17 World Cup championship in 2017. Although we are not good at football and are lagging behind, it will provide us an opportunity to revive and create an initiative for us," he said.

"We should create such an atmosphere through this game, so that world can see our composite nature and show the world the potential of our youth force," Modi said.

Referring to inauguration of a hospital here by him, Modi strongly batted for preventive healthcare and said sports is the best for that.

"The more we focus on preventive healthcare, the more we can maintain our distance from the hospital," he said.

Go to T