PremiumThe MP's statements came in the backdrop of a petition filed in the Allahabad high court that sought directives to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to open 20 rooms inside the Taj Mahal to check for the possible presence of Hindu idols
Listen to this article |
The land on which the Taj Mahal was built originally belonged to the erstwhile Jaipur royal family and was acquired by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan later, claimed BJP MP Diya Kumari on Wednesday.
She also asserted that records of this are available with the family of Jaipur's ruler Jai Singh.
Her statements came in the backdrop of a petition filed in the Allahabad high court that sought directives to the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to open 20 rooms inside the Taj Mahal to check for the possible presence of Hindu idols.
The MP supported the plea and sought opening of the doors of the monument's "22 rooms" to see "the truth, whatever it is".
“It should be investigated what was there before the monument was built and people have the right to know. There are records available with the Jaipur family and it would provide these if required," said Kumari, who is also a member of the erstwhile Jaipur royal family.
“Compensation was given in lieu of the land but how much was it, whether it was accepted or not, I cannot say this because I have not studied the records which are there in our 'pothikhana'. But the land belonged to our family and Shah Jahan had acquired it," she added.
She said that since there was no judiciary, no appeal could have been made at that time. “Things will be clear only after examining the records."
Referring to the petition, she said that it was a valid point that the rooms should be opened and an investigation should be done.
“People should know why the rooms are locked there. There could have been anything before the Taj Mahal, may be a temple. People have the right to know what was there originally before the 'maqbara'," Kumari said.
“What I am saying is on behalf of what I have learnt and heard. I have not studied the records. We can provide the records to the court if necessary. Only after examining the records, we can reach a conclusion," Kumari said.
Petition on Taj Mahal
The writ petition was filed on Saturday in the registry of the Lucknow bench of the high court by Rajneesh Singh, who is the media in-charge of the BJP’s Ayodhya unit.
The petition would come up before the court for a hearing after it is passed by the registry.
“In the petition, I have demanded that the 22 doors of rooms of the monument which are closed should be opened to see the truth, whatever it is," Singh was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.
With inputs from agencies.
