Swamy claims he can prove Shah Jahan stole Taj Mahal
Amid controversy on the UP government's lackadaisical attitude towards the Taj Mahal, BJP leader Subramanian Swamy has now said he has documents to prove the mausoleum was stolen by Shah Jahan. "There is evidence that Shah Jahan forced the Raja-Maharajas of Jaipur to sell the land on which Taj Mahal is standing, and he gave them a compensation of 40 villages," he claimed.
'There was a temple, but unclear if it was demolished'
Swamy added, "The documents also suggest that there was a temple on the property. But it is still not clear whether Taj Mahal was built after the demolition of a temple." He assured the BJP wouldn't demolish the Taj Mahal, but wanted three temples out of 40,000 allegedly demolished by Muslim rulers: Ayodhya's Ram, Krishna's Mathura and Kashi Vishwanath in Varanasi.
UP government has raised eyebrows over policies on the Taj
Swamy's comments come even as the UP government faces backlash over its attitude towards the Taj. In July, it overlooked the monument in its budgetary plans for the state's cultural heritage. In September, a 32-page glossy tourism brochure didn't mention Taj Mahal, though Gorakhnath Temple had a dedicated page. In damage control mode, CM Adityanath has announced he will visit the monument on October 25.
