5 booked after VHP men protest at Taj
AGRA: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists protested at the western gate of the Taj Mahal on Sunday and removed part of the turnstile gate being installed for entry of tourists. They were angry that the gate was blocking passage towards an ancient Shiva temple. Later, a case was registered against five people.
AGRA: Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) activists protested at the western gate of the Taj Mahal on Sunday and removed part of the turnstile gate being installed for entry of tourists. They were angry that the gate was blocking passage towards an ancient Shiva temple located west of the monument.
Police and administrative officials reached the spot to pacify the protestors. There is a ban on protests within 500 metres radius of Taj Mahal , as per orders from the Supreme Court.
Later, a case was registered against five people by name, including a VHP office bearer, and 20 to 25 unidentified people in connection with the protest after a complaint by Tarun Dutt Sharma, assistant conservation assistant for Archaeological Survey of India at Taj Mahal.
“A case has been registered against Ravi Dubey, Mohit Sharma, Niranjan Pathak, Madan Verma and Gulla,” said Shailendra Singh, the incharge of Tajganj police station.
Ravi Dubey is a senior office bearer of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. He is the prant sah sampark pramukh for the VHP.
Frames are being laid for installing turnstile gates and DFMD (door frame metal detector) at the western gate of the Taj Mahal by ASI to regulate the movement of tourists at Taj Mahal. The work was on when the right wing activists, allegedly led by Ravi Dubey, arrived on the scene, raised slogans and removed one of the gates.
‘The gate being installed is blocking passage to Siddheshwar Mahadev Temple at Basai Ghat alongside the western wall of Taj Mahal. The temple is 400 years old and has been in existence prior to Taj Mahal. So there is no logic in blocking passage to the temple. But ASI officials failed to heed our requests,” said Dubey.
‘We dislodged the turnstile gate and will not allow it to be installed at any cost,” said Dubey who also claimed to be the general secretary of Siddheshwar Mahadev Temple Committee.
Circle officer, Taj security, Prabhat Kumar admitted that the protest took place at the western gate of Taj Mahal.
“An alternative passage has been made for access to the temple but protestors insisted on the old passage on which turnstile gates are being placed,” said Kumar.