Indians Built Taj, Nothing Else Matters, Says Yogi Adityanath: 10 Facts
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's visit to the Taj Mahal was announced last week in the middle of an acrimonious back-and-forth over the monument beNo BJP Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh has ever visited the Taj, built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan as a tribute to his love for his queen, Mumtaz Mahal.
Before he walked in, he swept a small area outside the Taj, wearing gloves and a baseball hat. Yogi Adityanath spent 30 minutes at the monument.
After being made Chief Minister, he had skipped the Taj Mahal when he visited Agra in May. In June, he said that miniature replicas of the Taj, offered often as gifts to foreign dignitaries, were inappropriate offerings because they are not representative of Indian heritage.
After the Taj did not feature in a document released by the UP government to highlight top tourist spots in the state, BJP leaders went on a verbal rampage against the Taj, with Sangeet Som, a lawmaker from the state, alleging it was built by "traitors" who wanted to eliminate all Hindus.
As the controversy surged, the Yogi, who is a priest from eastern Uttar Pradesh, told reporters it had been built with "the sweat and blood" of Indians and and his visit to the monument was promptly scheduled.
The opposition has described the commentary of the BJP leaders against the Taj, one of the seven wonders of the world, as designed to divide Hindus and Muslims in the country's most-populous state.
About four helipads have been readied across Agra for use by the Chief Minister's helicopter today.
The Chief Minister is expected to launch a project to develop a tourist pathway from Taj Mahal to the famous Agra Fort, another popular tourist attraction.
The Chief Minister is also expected to speak about the state's Rs. 370 crore-development plan for the city and the proposed international airport at Agra.
The row has worried thousands in Agra who depend on tourist arrivals to the western Uttar Pradesh city, a few hours away from the national capital. According to government statistics, every fourth foreign visitor to the country visits the Taj but there has been a decline in the number foreign tourists to the white marble mausoleum widely considered one of the world's seven wonders.
tween BJP leaders and the opposition