India Government Bids To Get Back Lost Treasures

 Wednesday, June 09, 2010
Source: www.zeenews.com

KOLKATA, INDIA : India is seeking UNESCO support for an international campaign to recover its priceless antiquities that were once taken away from the country in foreign invasions. “As efforts so far to reclaim stolen treasures have proved futile, UNESCO support is required for launching an international campaign to achieve the end,” Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) Director General Gautam Sengupta said.

Sengupta, who attended the Cairo conference of archaeological heads of countries last month, said India had expressed its wish to get back the stolen treasures like the exquisite Kohinoor, taken away by the British and now in the Tower of London, besides Birmingham Buddha, Amravati railings, an ancient Saraswati Deity (stolen from Bhoj temple) and many other lost valuables.

“Information is that most of the precious antique items which we lost in raids, attacks or loots during foreign invasions in the pre-independence period are spread over museums, mostly in European countries,” he said. Sengupta said the Cairo conference called for a suitable international law to ban export or ownership of stolen antiquities acquired after 1970. This would help in preventing acquisition of stolen treasures of any particular country.