Give it back to India!: Watch heated debate over Kohinoor ownership in Good morning Britain

Among the many Indian possessions that Indians want back from the British, the Kohinoor diamond probably tops the list. One of the largest cut diamonds in the world, it currently adorns the crown of the late Queen Elizabeth. In a recent episode of the British breakfast television show Good Morning Britain, a debate was being held on whether the UK should actually return the jewel. But it soon descended into a shouting match between Indian-origin British journalist Narinder Kaur and broadcaster Emma Webb. While Kaur alleged Webb does not know history, Webb on her part said that the history of the diamond is murky.

"The ruler was also the ruler of Lahore so is Pakistan going get a claim on it? They stole it from the Persian empire. The Persian empire invaded the Mughal empire so this is a contested object," said Webb.

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"You do not know history. It represents colonisation and bloodshed. Give it back to India. I don't see why an Indian child from India has to travel all the way to the UK to look at it and pay for it," countered Kaur.

Who owns Kohinoor, really?

The Kohinoor diamond, a large and colorless diamond mined in India, is said to have been part of the crown jewels of various Indian rulers, including the Mughals and Sikhs, as well as Persians. After the Second Anglo-Sikh War in 1849, the diamond was, indeed legally, acquired by Queen Victoria as part of a treaty. And since then, it has remained in British possession.

However, controversy surrounds its ownership, as many Indians believe it was taken from the country under questionable circumstances and should be returned to its rightful owners. In contrast, the British maintain that they obtained the diamond legally and therefore are its rightful owners.

The issue of its ownership has sparked heated debate and controversy between India and the UK. India has formally demanded its return many times. After India gained independence in 1947, the government immediately requested the return of the Koh-i-Noor diamond from the British Government. A second request was made in 1953 during Queen Elizabeth II's coronation, but both appeals were denied by the British Government which deemed the ownership to be non-negotiable.

In 2000, several members of the Indian Parliament signed a letter calling for the diamond to be returned to India, citing that it was taken unlawfully. However, British officials claimed that due to conflicting claims, it was impossible to determine the original owner, and that the diamond had been part of Britain's heritage for over 150 years.

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