RSS contradicts Centre, says 'Koh-i-Noor' is India's asset and should be brought back

The RSS has strongly contradicted Centre's stand on priceless 'Koh-i-Noor' diamond that was ''neither stolen, nor forcibly taken but gifted to the Britishers'' by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

New Delhi: The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) has strongly contradicted Centre's stand on priceless 'Koh-i-Noor' diamond that was ''neither stolen, nor forcibly taken but gifted to the Britishers'' by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

RSS leader Indresh Kumar had said, ''Koh-i-noor is India's property and it should be brought back.''

The statement from senior RSS leader came a day after the central government told the Supreme Court that India should not claim the Koh-i-noor diamond since it was not stolen by the British but was in fact gifted by Maharaja Ranjit Singh.

In a submission made on Monday, the Solicitor General appearing on behalf of the Centre told the apex court that 'Koh-i-Noor' was gifted by Maharaja Ranjit Singh to the East India Company.

It is the stand of the Culture Ministry and Ministry of External Affairs is also a party and a response is yet to come from them, the Solicitor General told the apex court.

The apex court then asked the Centre to file a detailed reply within six weeks.

The Centre’s reply came after the SC had last week asked it to clarify its stand on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking return of the crown jewel to the country.

Nafis Ahmad Siddiqi, the petitioner in the Kohinoor case, the priceless diamond was not gifted to the Britishers. They (Centre) have put in false facts on how it went to London.

'Koh-i-Noor' is the largest colourless diamond that was mined near Guntur in Andhra Pradesh in India in the 13th century.

The uncut diamond weighed 793 carats and it has been in possession of Queen Victoria since 1849.