Title: Demand to make claim for the Kohinoor diamond with the British Government since it belongs to India.
SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN (BALASORE): Sir, through you, I am drawing the attention of the entire House to the fact of a very interesting historical event where the Taliban Government of Afghanistan have made a claim of the Kohinoor Diamond from the Government of Great Britain. In the Hindu mythology, it was named as the Kaustubhamani. In 1739, when Nadir Shah got it from Mohammad Shah Rangeela, he named it as the Mountain of Light, Kohinoor. Actually, initially it was with the King of Malwa. From him, Allauddin Khilji snatched it away after defeating him in the war. After the decline of the Khilji dynasty, the King of Gwalior just took it away. From him, it passed on to Babar, the founder of the Mughal dynasty. Actually, later on, on the decline of the Mughal Empire, from Mohammad Shah Rangeela, it was taken away by Nadir Shah by the exchange of Pagri because it was hidden on the turban of Mohammad Shah Rangeela.
Nadir Shah knew this. He wanted to exchange it as a symbol of friendship. He took it away to Afghanistan . … (Interruptions)
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: You ask the Government as to what should be done now with this Kohinoor Diamond.
SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN : You give me another two minutes.
Ultimately Maharaja Ranjit Singh fought the war with Afghanistan and he took it away. … (Interruptions)
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: You ask as to what the Central Government should do?
SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN : I would conclude it.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: In `Zero Hour’, you can only draw the attention of the Government.
SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN : In `Zero Hour’, time and again, ten or 15 minutes have been taken on the same subject. I would like to take just two minutes only.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Two minutes more!
SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN : I do not speak anything irrelevant. Ultimately from the son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, in the second Punjab war, the Britishers took it away to England. … (Interruptions) At least, you should hear me, Mr. Deputy-Speaker.
MR. DEPUTY-SPEAKER: Yes, I am listening to you.
SHRI KHARABELA SWAIN : It was hidden in the tower of London, and now the Taliban Government, who do not have any claim over the diamond, had made a claim with the British Government. The Government of India has not made any claim for the last 53 years.
Sir, I appeal to the Government to make this claim because it involves the national sentiments. Originally, the diamond belongs to India, and the same should be brought back to India from England.
