I will donate Koh-i-noor 8212; Ranjit Singh8217;s descendant8217;

Chandigarh, June 29: If the Koh-i-noor diamond becomes his property, it will be donated to the Khalsa Hertiage Memorial Complex at Anandp...

Chandigarh, June 29: If the Koh-i-noor diamond becomes his property, it will be donated to the Khalsa Hertiage Memorial Complex at Anandpur Sahib, said Lt Col Karanbir Singh, descendent of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. At a public gathering at a state-level function organised to mark the 159th death anniversary of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, Karanbir hoped that the tribunal examining the legal status of the diamond would pronounce a judgment in his favour.

8220;If at all the ownership of the diamond is accorded to me, I promise to donate it to the Heritage Memorial Complex,8221; he announced. Karanbir Singh has staked claim to the documents of Catherine Dalip Singh which are in the possession of Swiss bank authorities. The documents may decide who is the legal hair of the diamond.

Karanbir said that the British had cleverly taken the document from Dalip Singh and he is now trying to get it back. The tribunal that is investigating the ownership of the Koh-i-noor will decide the case in September.

If the case is decided in his favour, it will be brought to the country, he said. It will then be displayed at a museum proposed to be built at the Khalsa Heritage Memorial Complex, which is being constructed as part of the Khalsa tercentenary festivities.

The function was held at the Ambedkar Bhawan this afternoon, with Public Relations and Revenue Minister Sewa Singh Sekhwan as the chief guest. Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal was slated to visit, but he could not make it.

Among those who spoke on the occasion were, Chamkaur Sahib MLA Satwant Kaur Sandhu, district Akali Dal president Pritam Singh Salomajra, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee member from Anandpur Sahib Jarnail Singh Aulakh, and senior vice president of youth Akali Dal Kiranbir Singh Kang. Nobody from the BJP was present. Even the city-based BJP leaders and municipal councillors were absent.

Administrators attribute the absence of BJP leaders from today8217;s function to Akali Dal leaders8217; complaints that they were discriminated against at a public function in Behloo village. Behloo is in Nangal Assembly constituency, which is represented by BJP minister Madan Mohan Mittal. But a section of the local BJP unit had earlier accused the administration of not inviting them to public functions.

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Later, Sekhwan told mediapersons: 8220;The BJP leaders may not have been informed about the programme.8221; He said the BJP was a trusted ally of the ruling Akali Dal and the absence of its leaders should not be misunderstood.Earlier in his address, Sekhwan reiterated his party endeavours to govern the state like Maharaja Ranjit Singh. He said that industrialisation is the top priority to make Punjab prosperous.

The industrial units which have been found to be polluting the atmosphere and have been packed off by the Delhi government will now come to Punjab, Sekhwan said.

8220;We are persuading such units to make investments in Punjab. In return, we will provide them all necessary aid,8221; he said.

Later, Sekhwan honoured the descendants of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, including Lt. Col. Karanbir Singh. Bhawna Garg, IAS topper from Jalandhar, was honoured. Deputy Commissioner Kulbir Singh Sidhu was also honoured for successfully handling the Khalsa tercentenary festivities.