NEW DELHI: To ensure speedy repatriation of stolen antiquities, which were smuggled out of the country over the decades, the Central government has set up a special task force (STF) which comprises the officials of ministries of external affairs and culture.
The members of the task force are in constant touch with the governments in foreign countries to identify India’s cultural heritage in their possession or kept in museums there.
The union culture minister G Kishan Reddy on Thursday said that officials had been appointed in countries to expedite the process to fetch antiquities taken aboard illegally.
"The officials in the external affairs ministry and our embassies in foreign countries have been entrusted with responsibility to initiate dialogue with the governments there and identify our cultural wealth; antiquities so that they could be brought back. By next year, 200 idols, precious paintings, and other artwork will come back to India," said the minister.
He further added that the Government is talking to seven countries, where smuggled cultural objects belonging to India, are stashed or in museums.
The countries are the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Singapore, Germany, Switzerland and France.
According to the culture ministry, since 1976, 55 idols have been returned to India.
Out of the 55 antiquities, maximum 42 were retrieved in the last seven years during the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre.
Reddy said that the Prime Minister made efforts to ensure the return of statues of God and Goddess after religious leaders and saints had requested him for the same.
"With some countries, India has already signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for exchange of antiquities. But in some cases, the process is time consuming. The authorities have to give evidence, tell history, and explain cultural significance attached to an object or idol to convince foreign countries," the minister added.
The US government handed over 157 articles--artefacts and idols to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the US in September, which are being transported to India. Most of them are statues made of metal, stone, and terracotta The first batch of returned articles comprising 63 objects reached Delhi on Tuesday.