Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has made an interesting revelation on Thursday that he was allegedly kept under surveillance by the UK police during his visit to a London museum last year.
Speaking at the ‘Avakai Amaravati Festival’ held in Vijayawada, the chief minister recalled an incident from his London visit, undertaken last year to attract investments to Andhra Pradesh.
During the trip, he held meetings with industrialists and business leaders before planning a visit to a prominent London museum that houses the Kohinoor diamond.
Naidu said that the authorities there closely monitored visitors, especially because of the Kohinoor diamond, which remains a powerful symbol of India’s colonial-era loss of heritage.
He claimed that he himself was placed under surveillance, joking that officials feared he might ask for or attempt to take back the Kohinoor diamond.
“They might have thought I might demand the return of the Kohinoor diamond, which had originated in Krishna river basin,” he said.
The chief minister stated that when he wanted to visit the museum, permission was not readily granted. He remarked humorously that the authorities were afraid he would ask for the Kohinoor diamond if he were allowed inside.
He further quipped that he himself was a “clean Kohinoor diamond,” drawing applause and laughter. Naidu explained that the context of the remarks lay in the broader symbolism of the Kohinoor diamond as a representation of India’s rich cultural and historical legacy.
While inaugurating the Avakai Amaravati Festival, he spoke about the significance of preserving and celebrating heritage, linking it to Andhra Pradesh’s cultural identity.
