Keith Vaz demands Britain returns the Koh-i-Noor diamond to India

Keith Vaz, the MP for Leicester East, has called on Prime Minister David Cameron to return the precious Koh-i-noor to India ahead of that country's premier Narendra Modi visiting the UK in November.

Vaz's comments come after Indian parliamentarian Shashi Tharoor launched a campaign to gain reparations from Britain for its 200-year colonisation of India. Vaz hailed Tharoor for his speech at the Oxford Union and said "these grievances must be addressed".

"I welcome Dr Tharoor's speech and the endorsement of its message by PM Modi. I share their views. These are genuine grievances which must be addressed. Pursuing monetary reparations is complex, time-consuming and potentially fruitless, but there is no excuse for not returning precious items such as the Koh-i-Noor diamond, a campaign I have backed for many years," said Vaz.

The Mountain of Light or Koh-i-Noor, diamond is currently part of the Crown Jewels of the United Kingdom and adorns the crown of the Queen.

The priceless stone was unearthed at the Kollur Mine in the southern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It was originally 793 carats when uncut and was once the largest known diamond. Now it is a 105.6 metric carat diamond, weighing 21.6g.

The diamond was originally owned by the Kakatiya dynasty, which had installed it in a temple of a Hindu goddess.

"What a wonderful moment it would be, if and when Prime Minister Modi finishes his visit, which is much overdue, he returns to India with the promise of the diamond's return," Vaz added. Until now, Britain has refused India's demands to return the diamond.