Taj Mahal’s main dome leak: Asaduddin Owaisi taunts ASI wanting to maintain Waqf monuments, says ’Failing 10th class...’

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi took potshots at the Archaeological Survey of India over a video showing water leakage in the main dome of the Taj Mahal. As the video went viral this week, Owaisi slammed the ASI, saying it "earns hundreds of crore from Taj Mahal but this is how it treats one of the biggest symbols of Indian culture."

In a post on X on Saturday, Owaisi said, “Funnily, the same ASI argues that Waqf monuments should be taken by over by it so that it can maintain them.”

"This is like failing a 10th class exam and applying for a PhD!," Owaisi added as he shared one of the viral videos.

Taj Mahal dome leak viral video

A purported 20-second video of a submerged garden on the premises of the Taj Mahal has been doing the rounds on social media since Thursday after heavy rains. Agra in Uttar Pradesh, where Taj Mahal is situated, witnessed an incessant rain from the past three days due to which water logging problem could be seen in most of the parts of the city.

On Saturday, Superintending chief of the Archaeological Survey of India's (ASI) Agra circle Rajkumar Patel told news agency PTI that a drone camera was used to check the main dome.

"Yes, we have witnessed the leakage in the main dome. After that, when we checked, it was due to seepage and there was no damage to the main dome. We have checked the main dome through a drone camera," Patel told PTI.

Waqf Bill

Owaisi's statement came amid the ongoing row over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The earlier Waqf Act 1995 empowers the Waqf Board to declare any property or building as Waqf property in the name of charity.

According to sources, using this authority, the Waqf Board has issued notifications to declare protected monuments as Waqf properties, resulting in conflicts with the rights granted under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958.

Opposition parties have been continuously opposing the Waqf Board Amendment Bill in Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) meetings, leading to uproar and heated debates.

Sources told news agency ANI that the Archaeological Survey of India discussed why the Waqf Board Amendment Bill is necessary and gave a detailed presentation in the JPC-led meeting on issues related to Waqf in protected monuments and sites. They also explained the problems they are facing.

(With inputs from PTI)