WITH conflicting claims being made over Taj Mahal, Trinamool Congress and Samajwadi Party on Friday (December 12) cautioned against “politicisation” of the monument and demanded that the character and status of the “heritage” mausoleum should not be disturbed.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Md Nadimul Haque (Trinamool Congress) said that after different claims from the Muslim community about Shia and Sunni control on Taj Mahal, it is now being said that Mughal emperor Shah Jahan had purchased a part of
Tejo Mahalaya temple's land from Raja Jai Singh and it was built on a Shiva temple.
“Taj Mahal should not be made a controversy,” he said, adding that the monument attracts a large number of tourists and hence the government should put an end to all these controversies so that tourist flow is not affected.
“The character and status of Taj Mahal should not be affected at any cost irrespective of whoever says whatever,” Haque said.
Supporting him, Naresh Agrawal (Samajwadi Party) said the House should pass a resolution that Taj Mahal should not be made an issue of politics. “This will prevent others from politicising it,” he said.
Deputy Chairman P J Kurien said he agreed with members on this. “Taj Mahal is our great heritage and it should not be politicised,” Kurien said.
The issue was raised in the Upper House amid an ongoing political controversy over it for last few days.
BJP member Yogi Adityanath said Taj Mahal was built on a Shiva temple and the views of Hindus must be considered.
Uttar Pradesh BJP President Laxmikant Bajpayee had said that Mughal emperor Shah Jahan had purchased a part of Tejo Mahalaya temple's land from Raja Jai Singh.
Uttar Pradesh Minister and senior SP leader Azam Khan had demanded handing over of Taj Mahal to Waqf board. Soon after that a Sunni cleric demanded that Muslims be permitted to offer namaaz at the Taj Mahal.
Unhappy with the Sunni demands, some Shia clerics proposed that Taj Mahal be handed over to the Shia community as Mumtaz Mahal for whom Mughal emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal was a Shia.
Referring to these claims, Haque said the monument belongs to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and is a well-known tourist spot and status quo should be maintained.
