Iran Press/ Europe: Netizens on Twitter demanded the U.K. give back the Kohinoor diamond to India. Many people believe the precious diamond, which is now mounted on the crown of the Queen, should be rightfully back in India. Amidst all this, the one thing that's getting highlighted is how the U.K. has many possessions that were either taken away or looted from other countries during its colonial reign. Here's a list of a few of those items.
What is the Kohinoor diamond?
The Kohinoor is one of the largest diamonds in the world, weighing in at 105 carats.
The legendary treasure trove of Hindustan(India) had changed hands en masse on two occasions, once in 1739, when Nadir Shah (Persian King) took it, and then again in 1857, by the prize agents of the East India Company ruled by the British.
Apart from these two conquests, many priceless gems and jewels were acquired by the early European traders in India and sold in Europe. Today, many of the world’s famous diamonds have been attributed to the 1739 sack of Delhi.
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The most famous jewels and artifacts are listed below—the little compressed and crystallized charcoal that have wended their way through a labyrinth of mankind’s violent history.
According to CBS news, a flurry of commentary followed in support of the diamond's return to India.
Professor Jyoti Atwal, a historian at New Delhi's Jawaharlal Nehru University, told the ABC that King Charles III will now have to confront the past and apologize for Britain's role in historical events.
"King Charles will have to look at this new phase of anti-colonialism because anti-colonialism has changed its face now," Atwal said.
However, the campaign for the diamond's return is not new. In 2000, Indian politicians penned a letter to the U.K. asking for the Kohinoor to be returned.
"Britain owes us," Indian MP Shashi Tharoor wrote. "But, instead of returning the evidence of their rapacity to their rightful owners, the British are flaunting the Kohinoor on the Queen Mother's crown in the Tower of London.
"It is a stark reminder of what colonialism truly was: shameless subjugation, coercion, and misappropriation."
In 2013, British Prime Minister David Cameron, during a visit to India, ruled out giving the diamond back, saying: "I certainly don't believe in 'returnism,' as it were – I don't think that's sensible.
Besides Kohinoor, these 4 Items were also taken away by the British
1. Great Star of Africa diamond
Amongst many prized possessions of the Queen, the 'Great Star of Africa' diamond clearly stands out. It is the world's largest diamond and weighs around 530 carats. Estimated to be worth around USD 400 million, the Great Star of Africa was mined in South Africa in 1905. According to many African historians, the jewel was mined in 1905 and presented to Ed. They claim that the diaminsteads were stolen or looted by the British government during their reign as colonists. The Great Star of Africa is currently in the Qsceptersceptre.
2. Tipu Sultan's ring
Tipu Sultan's ring was allegedly taken by the Britishers from his daed body in 1799 after he lost the battle against them. According to many media reports, the ring was sold at an auction in the UK to an unidentified bidder for around 1,45,000 British pounds.
3. Rosetta Stone
Amidst the call to bring Kohinoor back to India, Egyptian activists and archaeologists get to bring the Rosetta Stone back to its home, i.e., Egypt. The Rosetta Stone is currently on display at the British Museum.
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According to many local newspapers, archaeologists claim that they can prove that the Rosetta Stone was "stolen" by Britain. The Rosetta Stone dates back to 196 BC, and according to historians, the famous stone was acquired by Britain after they won the battle against France in the 1800s.
4. Elgin Marbles
According to many media reports and archives in History, in 1803, Lord Elgin allegedly removed the marbles from the Parthenon's decaying walls in Greece and transported them to London. This is also the reason those precious marbles are called Elgin Marbles.
Since 1925, Greece has been asking for its priceless possession, but the marbles have remained in the British Museum.
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