Taj Mahal, built by traitors, a blot on Indian culture, says Sangeet Som: Supports UP govt move to remove it from tourism booklet

BJP MLA Sangeet Som courted fresh controversy on Monday after he declared that the Taj Mahal was a “blot on India culture”. The BJP MLA added that the monument was built by ’traitors.'

The MLA from Sardhana in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut, Som referred to the recent removal of Taj Mahal from the Uttar Pradesh tourism booklet and said, “Many people were disappointed that the Taj Mahal was removed from Uttar Pradesh tourism booklet. What history are we talking about? The creator of Taj Mahal (Shahjahan) imprisoned his father. He wanted to wipe out Hindus. If these people are part of our history, then it is very sad and we will change this history”. A BJP spokesperson backed Som’s statement and said that Taj Mahal is a “symbol of barbarism,” reported CNN-News18 channel. [caption id=“attachment_4147001” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of BJP MLA Sangeet Som. Getty Images[/caption] In October, Taj Mahal, one of the Seven Wonders of the World and a  UNESCO World Heritage  site, had failed to feature in Uttar Pradesh’s  recent tourism booklet namely ‘Uttar Pradesh Paryatan-Apaar Sambhavnayen’ . The booklet was released to mark six months of Yogi Adityanath’s government. Opposition leaders such as Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi had criticised the move. In June this year, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister had said that  Ramayana and Bhagwad Gita represent the Indian culture and not the Taj Mahal, according to  News18 . According to this  Firstpost article , the iconic monument  also failed to find mention  in the government’s first budget in the special section ‘Hamari Sanskritik Virasat’ (Our Cultural Heritage) incorporated in the finance minister’s 63-page budget speech. The exclusion had led to criticism of the government as academics and historians asked for promotion of the state’s composite multi-faith culture. Twitterati fume over statement Following Som’s remarks, Twitter users were quick to react and did not take kindly to his words.

Sangeet Som: A controversial figure One of BJP’s staunch anti-beef crusaders, Sangeet Som during the Uttar Pradesh election campaign had promised cow slaughterers in the state would not be spared when BJP came to power adding they would be booked as murderers, reported  India Today . “A strong law should be enacted against cow slaughter. Killers should be booked under section 302 of the IPC,” Som had said. Som is also one of the accused in the 2013 Muzzaffarnagar riots for making inflammatory speech during the communal riots. Following the Dadri lynching, an FIR was filed against him for violating Section 144, which prohibits assembly of more than four people at a place, by addressing a mahapanchayat in Dadri. Most recently, in October, a video surfaced of the Station House Officer (SHO) in Sardhana touching Som’s feet during a programme in town, sparking a row over the police officer’s conduct, according to the  Hindustan Times .