BJD Rajya Sabha MP Bhupinder Singh told that Maharaja Ranjit Singh wished to donate the diamond to the Jagannath temple in Puri But unfortunately his heirs gifted the diamond to Britain.
Last week, the Union government had told Supreme Court that the Kohinoor diamond was neither “forcibly taken nor stolen” by British rulers, but given as a “gift” to East India Company by the heirs of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the ruler of Punjab. Notably, the diamond is display at the Tower of London.