BJP MLA Sangeet Som courted fresh controversy on Monday after he declared that the Taj Mahal was a "blot on India culture".
BJP's Sangeet Som says,'Many were sad when Taj Mahal was removed from historical places.What history? Its creator wanted to wipe out Hindus' pic.twitter.com/5OcpJwC4d7
— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2017
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.
File image of BJP MLA Sangeet Som. Getty Images
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.
Taj Mahal is such a non issue but politicians will continue to try and divide this country aur yaha twitter pe hum RW LW khelte rahe hai — Tanmay Bhat (@thetanmay) October 16, 2017
Sangeet Som's attempt to politicise Taj Mahal is a shoddy attempt to further radicalise an already polarised political narrative.
— Kartikeya Sharma (@kartikeya_1975) October 16, 2017
How far are we from asking: Should the Taj Mahal not be given the same treatment as the one Taliban meted out to the Bamiyan Buddhas? https://t.co/Kd0hfxaXZ0 — Sushant Singh (@SushantSin) October 16, 2017
Taj Mahal is built by someone who exploited the country...
But can the RSS tell us one thing that they've built which could help tourism?— Kunal Kamra (@kunalkamra88) October 16, 2017
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.
Published Date: Oct 16, 2017 11:28 am | Updated Date: Oct 16, 2017 12:04 pm
