If you believe Vinay Katiyar, the Bajrang Dal founder who is currently BJP MP from Uttar Pradesh, the Taj Mahal will soon be known by its proper name: ‘Tej Mandir’.
Image: Screengrab
In Katiyar’s version of Indian history, the building of the Taj Mahal by Mughal Emperor Shahjahan is fiction. The fact is that it was Aurangzeb who turned a Hindu temple into a burial ground.
Katiyar’s remarks were in the context of news reports about the upcoming Taj Mahotsav scheduled to be held between February 18 and 27 will feature a dance drama on Lord Ram.
“You can call it Taj Mahotsav or Tej Mahotsav, both are the same,” Katiyar told ANI when asked about the 10-day event in Agra. “There is not much difference between Taj and Tej…Our Tej Mandir was turned into a cremation ground by Aurangzeb. Taj Mahal will be converted into Tej Mandir soon.”
He also told Times Now there will come a time when “some administrator” will destroy the cremation ground.
UP’s chief minister Yogi Adityanath and governor Ram Naik are scheduled to grace the Mahotsav on opening day. The state government has said it has nothing to do with the decision on the theme of the Taj Mahotsav involving Lord Ram which was decided by a local committee.