Clarification on Kohinoor Diamond
Clarification on Kohinoor Diamond
Government Reiterates its Resolve to Make all Possible Efforts to Bring Back Kohinoor Diamond in an Amicable Manner
Government Reiterates its Resolve to Make all Possible Efforts to Bring Back Kohinoor Diamond in an Amicable Manner
The
Government of India wishes to put on record that certain news items
appearing in the press regarding the Kohinoor Diamond are not based on
facts.
The Government of India further reiterates its resolve to make all possible efforts to bring back the Kohinoor Diamond in an amicable manner.
The factual position is that the matter is sub judice at present. A PIL has been filed in the Honourable Supreme Court that 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. The Court granted six weeks time on the prayer of the Solicitor General to take instructions for making his submission in the matter.
The status report on which the preliminary submission was made by the Solicitor General have references to the stand taken by Governments earlier that the Kohinoor was a gift and cannot be categorized as an object stolen. The material further has references to the views of India’s 1st Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru dating back to 1956. Pandit Nehru went on record saying that there is no ground to claim this art treasure back. He also added that efforts to get the Kohinoor back would lead to difficulties.
Pandit Nehru also said, “To exploit our good relations with some country to obtain free gifts from it of valuable articles does not seem to be desirable. On the other hand, it does seem to be desirable that foreign museums should have Indian objects of art.”
It may be added that ever since he has taken over as PM, Shri Narendra Modi’s efforts led to three significant pieces of India’s history coming back home. In October 2015, German Chancellor Angela Merkel returned a 10th century Indian statue of Goddess Durga that was stolen in 1990 and found in 2012 at a museum in Germany. In April 2015, then Canadian PM Stephen Harper returned a sculpture known as the ‘Parrot Lady’, which dates back to almost 900 years. Then Australian PM Tony Abbott, on his India visit in 2014 had returned antique statues of Hindu deities that were in Australian art galleries. None of these gestures affected India’s relations with either Canada, Germany or Australia. It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who as the Chief Minister got back the ashes of Shyamji Krishna Varma almost 70 years after his death.
Thus, 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.
The Government of India further reiterates its resolve to make all possible efforts to bring back the Kohinoor Diamond in an amicable manner.
The factual position is that the matter is sub judice at present. A PIL has been filed in the Honourable Supreme Court that 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. The Court granted six weeks time on the prayer of the Solicitor General to take instructions for making his submission in the matter.
The status report on which the preliminary submission was made by the Solicitor General have references to the stand taken by Governments earlier that the Kohinoor was a gift and cannot be categorized as an object stolen. The material further has references to the views of India’s 1st Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru dating back to 1956. Pandit Nehru went on record saying that there is no ground to claim this art treasure back. He also added that efforts to get the Kohinoor back would lead to difficulties.
Pandit Nehru also said, “To exploit our good relations with some country to obtain free gifts from it of valuable articles does not seem to be desirable. On the other hand, it does seem to be desirable that foreign museums should have Indian objects of art.”
It may be added that ever since he has taken over as PM, Shri Narendra Modi’s efforts led to three significant pieces of India’s history coming back home. In October 2015, German Chancellor Angela Merkel returned a 10th century Indian statue of Goddess Durga that was stolen in 1990 and found in 2012 at a museum in Germany. In April 2015, then Canadian PM Stephen Harper returned a sculpture known as the ‘Parrot Lady’, which dates back to almost 900 years. Then Australian PM Tony Abbott, on his India visit in 2014 had returned antique statues of Hindu deities that were in Australian art galleries. None of these gestures affected India’s relations with either Canada, Germany or Australia. It was Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who as the Chief Minister got back the ashes of Shyamji Krishna Varma almost 70 years after his death.
Thus, 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.
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Dr. Mahesh Sharma Unveils Gold Finial at Humayun’s Tomb
Dr. Mahesh
Sharma, Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (I/C) and Civil Aviation unveiled the restored 18
feet tall Finial at Humayun’s Tomb, New Delhi today as part of the ongoing
conservation effort. Shri Rakesh Tiwari, DG, ASI, Shri Ratish Nanda, CEO, Aga
Khan Trust for Culture and Shri Bhaskar Bhat, MD, Titan Company Limited were
present on the occasion. Addressing on the occasion, the Dr. Mahesh Sharma said
that after two years of hard work, a Finial or Kalash of Humayun’s Tomb has
been restored to this monument. For two years carpenters, copper smiths, gold
smiths, masons have worked with traditional tools, traditional techniques and
in traditional manners that have stayed alive in India for centuries to create
an authentic replica of the Humayun’s Tomb kalash for this UNESCO World
Heritage Site. Ministry
of Tourism
He said that the
Humayun’s Tomb conservation undertaken by the Aga Khan Trust for Culture and
the Archaeological Survey of India with the support of the TATA Trusts has
helped preserve the monument for posterity. Emphasis on employing traditional
craftsmen has over a five year period created 200,000 (two lakh) man-days of
work for the masons, stone carvers and other craftsmen. He congratulated and
thanked the craftsmen who have dedicated themselves to this task and who are
India’s true heritage.
The Minister
hoped that the care given to Humayun’s Tomb over the last many years by the Archaeological
Survey of India can be replicated at other
important sites in Delhi and across our country.
The restored
finial comprises a 22-feet-tall octagonal log of wood, 300 kilos of copper, a
brass inscription, at least six layers of gold leaf gilding, completed with a
finishing of glass beads. An exhibition on the restoration efforts was
conducted during the unveiling event along with a visual presentation of the
preservation initiatives.
In 2014, the
Ministry of Culture declared Humayun’s Tomb to be one of the ADARSH monuments
wherein several additional facilities will be provided and to this objective
the Ministry of Tourism has provided a Rs. 49 Crore grant to Aga Khan Trust to
build a state-of-art INTERPRETATION CENTRE for which the foundation stone was
laid exactly one year ago. The original finial of Humayun’s Tomb will be
displayed at this Interpretation Centre – which is sunken below ground but
where the galleries reach a height of 6 m only to accommodate the finial.
There, this beautiful piece of antiquity will not only be viewed closely by the
public but also be safe from rain and pollution.
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