Will take 'Kohinoor' battle to UN, UNESCO if I have to: Petitioner

After Minister of Asia and Pacific affairs Alok Sharma's assertion on the restitution of 'Kohinoor' diamond, Advocate Nafis Siddiqui, the petitioner of the case, said on that he will file a new application and if Britain doesn't return the gem still, he will then appeal in the UNESCO and in the UN.

"New application will be filled in the Supreme Court to send the advocated commissioner to Britain and request the British government to return the property of India and to get a stay on the selling or auctioning of the diamond. We will get it back, if not, we will appeal through the UNESCO or through UNO," said Siddiqui.

Earlier, in the Supreme Court Centre said that Britain did not steal the 'Kohinoor' but rather it was gifted to them.

Taking a jibe at this statement Siddiqui questioned "How can they say that they gifted our national asset?"

Referring to UNESCO declaration of 1970 and 1978, he added that UNESCO has mentioned to return everything that has been looted from the colonial ruled country back to them. France, America and even Australia did so, Britain must also.

Siddiqui said, "The External Minister of India should try their best to bring the property of India back. They should not show leniency on such issue considering any diplomatic or politics aspects."

"The international law and UNESCO is supporting us we. We will bring our property which is there in the Victoria Library, Albert Museum and the Kohinoor Diamond which is embedded in the Queen's crown," he added.

UK Minister Alok Sharma on Wednesday said his government does not believe that "there is any legal ground" for restitution of the diamond.

"It is a longstanding position of the U.K. Government that we don't believe that there is any legal ground for restitution of diamond," said Sharma, the first British Minister to visit India since Brexit.

After the subjugation of Punjab in 1849 by the British forces, the properties of the Sikh Empire were confiscated and the Kohinoor was also transferred to the treasury of the British East India Company in Lahore.

Later, the diamond was shipped to Britain and was handed to Queen Victoria in July 1850. It was cut to improve its brilliance and was mounted into Queen Victoria's crown. The diamond now sits in the tower of London along with the Crown Jewels.

The people of India have been demanding the return of the 105-carat diamond, which the British Government rejected in 2013.