Mughal descendant, historians refute BJP MP's Taj Mahal land claim
Prince Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy, who proclaims himself as a descendant of the Mughals, refuted Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Diya Kumari's claim of Taj Mahal's land. Erstwhile Jaipur royal family member Kumari had said that she has documents to prove her family owned the land the Taj Mahal is built on. Tucy also urged Kumari to show the ownership papers.
Why does this story matter?
It is not the first time that the Taj Mahal, one of the seven wonders of the world, has come under attack. It was alleged in the past that the tomb monument was in fact a Shiva temple, a claim made in PN Oaks' controversial book Taj Mahal, the True Story. However, historians have consistently denied the temple claims over the years.
What did Tucy say?
Tucy challenged Kumari's claim in a video posted on social media, saying that if she had "even a drop of Rajput blood in her, she should show the (ownership) documents." He also reportedly claimed that emperor Shah Jahan was Rajput's maternal uncle as the emperor's second wife, Laal Bai, and Akbar's better-half Jodha Bai were both Rajputs.
Video of Prince Yakub Habeebuddin Tucy
Tucy explains Rajput tradition of giving land
Furthermore, Tucy explained the practice of the Rajputs of gifting land to the Mughals. He called Kumari's accusations of land grabbing "baseless," making a reference to the tradition of offering their sons-in-law various places as gifts. "Fourteen out of my 27 grandmothers were Rajputs," he said, referring to the Rajputs' alliances with the Mughals during Akbar's reign. He termed the controversy a "publicity stunt."
'Kumari shouldn't try to break bonds between Mughals, Rajputs'
Tucy also urged the public to disregard individuals like Kumari and their cheap publicity stunts. "She (Kumari) should not make such statements and try to break the bond of alliance and love shared by the Mughals and the Rajputs," he said.
Historians deny Kumari's allegation of receiving no compensation for land
Historian Rana Safvi posted copies of royal orders to Raja Jai Singh on Twitter, which are kept in Jaipur's City Palace Museum, claiming that Jai Singh received four havelis in exchange for the Taj Mahal's land. "While Raja Jai Singh was willing to donate the land for free, four havelis were given in lieu of Raja Man Singh's haveli by Shah Jahan," she stated.
Mughal, Rajputs had close relations: Historian
Another historian, Ira Mukhoty, agreed with Safvi, highlighting that the Mughals and the Jaipur royals were in a close relationship since Akbar's marriage to Jodha Bai of Amber. Ira added, "All of these claims arise from a single source, a book by PN Oak, a fantasist, who claimed that many great Asian monuments, including the Kaaba in Mecca, were all results of Hindu architecture."
