UP govt washes hands of Som’s Taj comments

LUCKNOW/MEERUT: The Bjp-led Uttar Pradesh government distanced itself on Monday from controversial comments by firebrand MLA Sangeet Som, who questioned the Taj Mahal’s place in history and said the iconic monument was built by “traitors” who targeted Hindus.

The saffron party also appeared to disown the Sardhana legislator’s remarks and called his comments on the 17th century structure his “individual view”.

“The chief minister has made it clear that the Taj is part of our heritage. My government has already sanctioned ₹155 crore for the development of parks and various facilities in and around Taj,” said state tourism minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi.

When asked what she made of the BJP MLA’S claims, she said, “Well, every individual is free to make an opinion but as far as the government is concerned Taj is very much on our priority list.”

At a meeting in Meerut on Sunday, Som had attacked those concerned about the absence of the Taj Mahal from a list of historical places in state’s official tourism booklet. “Many people were pained to see that the Taj Mahal was removed from the list of places. What type of history are they talking about? Is it history that the person (Shah Jahan) who built the Taj Mahal imprisoned his father? He targeted Hindus in UP and Hindustan,” he claimed.

In fact, Shah Jahan never imprisoned his father Jehangir. It was Shah Jahan’s son, the sixth Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who placed him under house arrest at Agra Fort.