Koh-i-Noor Belongs in Britain Says India Government
April 18, 16
(IDEX Online News) – The much-disputed Koh-i-Noor should remain in Britain as it was gifted to the country and not stolen, according to a government official’s address to India’s Supreme Court, as reported by The Economic Times.
India’s Solicitor-General, Ranjit Kumar, said that the 108-carat gem was given to the British by 19th century Sikh king Ranjit Singh, as compensation for their help during the Sikh Wars.
The court was hearing a suit filed by the All India Human Rights & Social Justice Front, a non-governmental organization that seeks the stone’s return. The solicitor-general was responding to the court’s request for an affidavit on the government’s position on the issue.