41 stolen heritage returned during 7 years of PM Modi regime, Congress brought less than 10 antiquities: Culture Minister

New Delhi, Aug 6: The Union Minister of Culture and Tourism G Kishan Reddy informed that since the Modi government came to power in 2014, India has repatriated 41 heritage artifacts back to the country which is more than 75% of the total objects returned to date.

 

 

In a written reply to Rajya Sabha, the minister said that a total of 54 antiquities have been retrieved from foreign countries till date since 1976, out of which 41 have been repatriated under PM Modi’s leadership.

 

"It is a matter of pride that we have been able to retrieve many of our stolen heritage objects from abroad. The number of antiquities recovered in the last seven years is the highest ever. Since 2014, India has repatriated 41 heritage objects back to India which is more than 75% of the total objects returned," he informed.

 

 

Further, he credited PM Modi for his relentless efforts, which led to the retrieval of the heritage antiquities. "I believe that the recent success is because of our continuously improving cultural relations that were made possible due to the warm personal relations that our Prime Minister shares with various heads of states and hence their expeditious return was made possible", Reddy added.

 

Reddy also lauded the tireless efforts of various government agencies like ASI, CBI among others in this endeavour. He further claimed that the Nehru-Gandhi family’s succeeding leaders were more concerned with amassing wealth for themselves than with safeguarding India’s cultural and civilisational wealth.

 

 

“Since 1976 the Congress government which has ruled for close to 25 years, brought back less than 10 antiquities. This shows a total lack of commitment and respect that successive Congress governments showed towards preserving our Indian civilizational heritage. Successive leaders of the Nehru-Gandhi family were more interested in accruing wealth for themselves rather than protecting India’s cultural and civilisational wealth,” Reddy added.