The 105-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond had been set in the crown of the current Queen Elizabeth's late mother. PHOTO: REUTERS
Speaking on the third and final day of a visit to India aimed at drumming up trade and investment, Cameron ruled out handing back the 105-carat Koh-i-Noor diamond, now on display in the Tower of London. The diamond had been set in the crown of the current Queen Elizabeth's late mother.
One of the world's largest diamonds, some Indians -including independence leader Mahatma Gandhi's grandson – have demanded its return to atone for Britain's colonial past.
"I don't think that's the right approach," Cameron told reporters on Wednesday after becoming the first serving British prime minister to voice regret about one of the bloodiest episodes in colonial India, a massacre of unarmed civilians in the city of Amritsar in 1919.
"It is the same question with the Elgin Marbles," he said, referring to the classical Greek marble sculptures that Athens has long demanded be given back.
"The right answer is for the British Museum and other cultural institutions to do exactly what they do, which is to link up with other institutions around the world to make sure that the things which we have and look after so well are properly shared with people around the world.
"I certainly don't believe in 'returnism', as it were. I don't think that's sensible."
Britain's then colonial governor-general of India arranged for the huge diamond to be presented to Queen Victoria in 1850.
If Kate Middleton, the wife of Prince William, who is second in line to the throne, eventually becomes queen consort she will don the crown holding the diamond on official occasions.
When Elizabeth II made a state visit to India to mark the 50th anniversary of India's independence from Britain in 1997, many Indians demanded the return of the diamond.
Cameron is keen to tap into India's economic rise, but says he is anxious to focus on the present and future rather than "reach back" into the past.
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@Zuraid
Agreed brother. We should claim a share in Taj Mahal and Red Fort too. After all these were built with the money brought by Babur from Samarkhand.
Pakistan should also ask for the diamond as it was formerly a part of India. Pakistan also has its share in all pre-1947 wealth.
Most of the jobs Britons loved to do is snatched away by Indians. They call Customer Care, we pick up. They need goods, us, Chinese and other oppressed countries come in.
There are no jobs in Britain. Only memories of old glory.
They took our wealth, now for the next 2 generations we'll take away their own jobs.
@PakiKaka:
One simple question was there a country called Pakistan when the Diamond was taken?
If not how can PAKISTAN claim it?
Let them keep the diamond, Indians are giving them a payback by snatching all their jobs anyway.
Come on guys & gals... it was just a diamond.. the one who had the guts took it away and the one who will have a guts will either take it back or will take it away like others before the one who has it :) any fighting for a piece of carbon or asking to get it back is just waste of time.. we Pakistanis must use our valuable time on becoming good muslims & civilized citizens of our beloved country Pakistan..
Indians love to distort history towards their end. they refer everything in the world to their history, which no one has read or seen except by their rishis. just like numbers were invented by India and every crown was mined from deccan region. all greatness belonged to India. keep dreaming my dear Indians. may be their a limit to exaggeration, or perhaps not....
peasants, you can argue as long as you want but the rock doesn't belong to Pakistan or India. It belongs to the UK and will stay there.
@Zalmai: Hey Bhai Zalmai, please take that diamond, share with anyone you wish :-))) at my part, I do not have any diamond, except good wishes for those who have it.
The Iranians or the Afghans are the legitimate owners of the Koh-i-Noor.The name of the diamond is proof enough that it originated in Iran or Afghanistan or it was in the possession of a Farsi speaker, hence the Farsi name. The name says it all. It changed hands numerous times but the name stuck because it was the original name given to it by its Farsi speaking owners.
how does it belong to pakistan????? The kohinoor diamond originated in Andhra Pradesh, India and the first possesors of this diamond were the Kakatiya rulers of India..later on islamic invaders took and gave it the name and later the britishers invaded and took it with them...where did pakistan come into picture??
strong textIt was founded in Golkunda mines Andhra Pradesh India :) & demand of us is right..nevertheless british are back to circle now they requires economic support from India..even France & british both are visiting india back to back like colonial period. :)
TATA (jaguar motors) & Steel king Lakshmi mittal are now biggest employment provider in Britain..proud to be Indian! :)
This is a diffrence bet muslim mughals and brit christian rullers mughals came to live and give india many things and brit raj just for stolen from india and north africa in the name of busnismen.
The diamond was mined in Deccan region of India, and was sent to Aurengzeb. Records on these events are present.
I remember reading that it was "exchanged" for some considerable some of money and for "favor" before the Delhi Darbar.
There is an old myth on this diamond dating way back- wherever it went, the empire failed after one generation!
I am curious to know where the shawl sewn with the seed pearls intended to cover the tomb of Mohammed made in Baroda and the associated jewels went!
The Pitt diamond or French crown jewel was also mined in Deccan but the transfer of it is shrouded in mystery.
India should leave the diamond in Britain- as a way of showing where the crown wealth came from!
time to reply Britain in same tone.
as its name says, it belong to Pakistan not india
@TightPatloon:
Nadir Shah was Persian who happened to invade India. Where does Pakistan come into picture at all?!
@PakiKaKa- No it was not found in India, it was found in the mountains of Persia . That area is now in West AFghanistan.
Why not "reach back". if they admit that this is belongs to India then this should be returned.
@Osman: LOL so true these Indians has nothing to do except ranting about their economy and spitting venom against Pakistanis
Please we dont want the koh- i - noor (Mountain of light ). Let the English keep it or best give it to the Persians (It was found in a Persian mountain while digging ). Its bad luck and nothing else .
Let it be in England. If it comes back, pakistan will ask for its share from it.. :)
Pakistan should ask for it. After all it was Nadir Shah who retrieved it
I don't know why India is laying claim to the diamond. Although it was mined originally in an area now in India, if at all it has to be returned, it should be returned to the place where it was taken by the British, that is Lahore as before British the diamond was in possession of Maharja Ranjit Singh and Koh-i-Noor was part of Lahore's Toshakhana. But as a matter of principle, asking for it's return is foolish. British conquered Lahore, to them belonged all that was in possession of the kingdom of Lahore, just like Ranjit Singh won it over from Afghan king Shah Shuja. Period.
This belongs to Pakistan not India
Now India might claim Pakistani hand in this case