Visuals of the outrageous act go viral, spark public reactions questioning security at the iconic monument site
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — Four people have been arrested over waving saffron flags connoting Hindutva messages in the premises of Taj Mahal on Monday evening, a police official told Clarion India.
He said a case (FIR- 05/2021) has been registered in Tajganj Police station under section 295 (defiling place of worship), section 153 (provocation with intent to cause riot), section 7 in Criminal Law Amendment (CLA) (loiter) .
Visuals have gone viral showing some Hindutva activists reportedly from an outfit called Jagran Manch waving saffron colour flags. The outrageous act sparked public reactions with questions being asked where were the security forces.
Central Industrial Security Force (@CISFHQrs ) is taking care of Taj Mahal security. There are hundreds of CISF personals working in shifts in Taj Mahal. Wonder where they were during this incident. https://t.co/YYMJmdiEZE
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) January 4, 2021
“Bhagwa goons once again committed an illegal act by trying to vandalise a monument built by a Muslim king,” Bollywood actor Swara Baskar wrote on her Twitter.
According to Times of India, the accused also chanted Shiv Chalisa. The report has named one of the accused as Gaurav Thakur.
Right-wing Hindu activists have, for quite some time, been claiming that Taj Mahal is a Hindu monument. Their claim is rooted in myths lacking any shred of evidence.
A group of Chaddi’s will just go & raise saffron flags in Taj Mahal. Can they match even a fraction of the Taj? Taj Mahal generates revenue, which helps Govt’s economy. Still nautanki karni hai!
— Salman Nizami (@SalmanNizami_) January 5, 2021
In 2017, Vinay Katiyar, a member of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), had asked the government to rename the monument and claim it was built by a Hindu.
Soon after taking charge of UP in 2017, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath removed Taj Mahal from the Tourism booklet. He had claimed that the iconic monument does not represent “Indian culture”.
Established historical records say Taj Mahal was built by Mughal emperor Shahjahan in memory of Queen Mumtaz Mahal. It is one of the seven wonders of the world and symbolises India in the public imagination globally.
