Taj Mahal, the symbol of everlasting love, India’s cultural gift to it’s people has been disgraced by hate speech giver Sangeet Som, a controversial lawmaker of the state’s ruling BJP.
“Many people were worried that the Taj Mahal was removed from the list of historical places in the UP tourism booklet. What history are we talking about? The man who built Taj Mahal imprisoned his father. He wanted to massacre Hindus. If this is history, then it is very unfortunate and we will change this history, I guarantee you,” Mr Som said at a rally on Sunday. He also called Mughal emperors Babur, Akbar and Aurangzeb “traitors” and said their names would be removed from pages of history.
BJP MP Anshul Verma declared his approval and support of that opinion by saying: “The Taj is a tourist spot…don’t link it with Indian culture. There is nothing controversial about what Mr Som said. Don’t politicize it.”
Mr Som is known for inflammatory speeches and is among the politicians accused of a role in instigating riots that left over 60 dead and tens of thousands displaced in Muzaffarnagar in 2013.
Earlier this month, the absence of the Taj Mahal in a new UP brochure sparked outrage. The booklet was released to mark six months of the BJP government in UP and listed the important tourist destinations in the state. It included the temple of Gorakhnath at Gorakhpur, which is headed by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
State Tourism Minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi clarified: “Taj Mahal is our cultural heritage and occupies a place among the world’s famous tourist places…Holistic development of the cultural heritage and that of infrastructural facilities is the priority of the state government.”
In June, Yogi Adityanath had said the monument to love built by Mughal emperor Shahjahan does not reflect Indian culture.
Hyderabad parliamentarian Asaduddin Owaisi of the MIM party, reacting to Mr Som’s comments, said: “This government is blinded by its hatred of history. I challenge them to say it to UNESCO that they should remove it from list of world heritage sites. Tell everyone, if you come to India, don’t see Taj Mahal.”
Mocking the BJP leaders’ comments on Mughal monuments, Jammu and Kashmir politician Omar Abdullah tweeted: “No more Red Fort speeches on 15th August? ‘The PM will address the nation from Nehru Stadium’ will fill some hearts with unabashed glee.”
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