'Traitors built Red Fort. Will Modi stop hoisting Tricolour', asks Asaduddin Owaisi after Sangeet Som's Taj Mahal remark

In a rebuke to BJP MLA Sangeet Som’s comments on the Taj Mahal , Asaduddin Owaisi, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief hit back responding, “Traitors also built the Red Fort. Will the prime minister stop hoisting the Tricolour?”

#BREAKING - Traitors built Red Fort too. Will PM stop hoisting the tricolour there?: Asaduddin Owaisi pic.twitter.com/uzRIdRAHit

— News18 (@CNNnews18) October 16, 2017

Som courted fresh controversy on Monday after he declared that the Taj Mahal was a “blot on India culture”. He 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.” [caption id=“attachment_3764829” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] File image of AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi. AFP[/caption] Irked by Som’s remarks, Owaisi said, “The government’s priority should be providing governance. Governance has failed in Uttar Pradesh. So, they’ve taken to polarisation. There are hospitals where children are dying of lack of oxygen.” He challenged prime minister Narendra Modi and the Yogi Adityanath government saying that since they are “blinded by hatred”, they must carry an advertisement asking tourists not to go to the Taj Mahal. “Can the prime minister and Yogi Adityanath tell tourists not to visit Taj Mahal? They must carry an adverstisement that ‘Don’t go to the Taj because in our view its a symbol of traitors,” said Owaisi. 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. Taking a swipe at Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, Owaisi said, “In his tenure so far, Yogi ’the mahant’ has overshadowed Yogi ’the chief minister’”. On GST and demonetisation Talking about Centre’s introduction of GST and demonetisation, Owaisi said, “GST and demonetisation has hurt the common man badly. The government has failed on providing employment to youth, on controlling terrorism and on the China front. Now, they are facing the flak of the common man over GST and demonetisation. And here we have a minister speaking about the country’s history in an arrogant manner.” ‘Hope people will exercise right to vote in Guajrat’ Speaking about the upcoming Gujarat Assembly elections this year, Owaisi said, “I can only hope people of Gujarat will exercise their right to vote and not get carried away with false hopes and promises”. The Election Commission is yet to announce dates for the Gujarat elections.