Netizens Call for Return of Koh-i-Noor Diamond After Rishi Sunak Becomes UK PM

With the UK's first Indian-origin Prime Minister Rishi Sunak having taken charge of his new post, netizens are calling for the return of the 105.6 carat Koh-i-Noor diamond, worth $591 million, which is set in the crown of the Queen Mother.

India has been advocating for the return of the diamond since the country gained independence in 1947.

After the death of Queen Elizabeth II last month, Indian netizens sparked an uproar on social media demanding the return of the Koh-i-Noor.

Amid the controversy, the British media reported that the diamond will not be used in the coronation of Camilla on May 6, 2023 over concerns it may spark negative sentiments towards the UK, particularly in India.

Meanwhile, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said during a media briefing that New Delhi seeks a "satisfactory resolution" with the UK government on the retrieval of the iconic Koh-i-Noor diamond.

"We have been raising this matter from time to time with the UK government and we will continue to explore ways and means obtaining a satisfactory resolution of the matter," Bagchi said.

After Rishi Sunak's appointment as the UK's new Prime Minister, a fresh uproar has erupted on social media, with many demanding its return.

Twitter screenshot of Indian netizens calling for the return of Koh-i-Noor after Indian-origin Rishi Sunak Becomes Britain's PM

According to the Archaeological Survey of India, the Koh-i-Noor diamond was unearthed in the Golconda mines in central southern India, between the 12th-14th centuries.

While the Royal Collection Trust claimed that the 150-year-old crown jewel, which was “surrendered” to Queen Victoria in 1849 as part of the Treaty of Lahore by the last Sikh emperor of India, Maharaja Duleep Singh, when he was 11 years old, many Indians have argued that the Koh-i-Noor was looted by British Empire.

During a 2010 visit to India, then-Prime Minister David Cameron told local media that the diamond would stay in the United Kingdom.

“If you say yes to one [request], you suddenly find the British Museum would be empty... I'm afraid it's going to have to stay put," Cameron said.

A petition was filed in 2016 on whether India should call for its return, to which India's solicitor general, Ranjit Kumar, told the court at the time, "It was neither stolen nor forcibly taken away."

However, the Modi-led government then appeared to roll back the comments, saying that India would make all possible efforts to bring back the diamond.