Taj Mahal Or Tejo Mahalaya? Hindu Activists Perform Puja At Monument With Gangajal And Dhoop, Imam ‘Livid’

Members of Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad performed puja at Taj Mahal on Saturday as per a video that went viral on social media, Times of India has reported. Three women performed Puja (worship) with Ganga Jal (water from the river Ganga) and Dhoop Batti (incense).

Meena Devi Diwakar, the district president of Antarrashtriya Hindu Parishad, argued that she had the right to perform Puja if the Muslims had the right to perform Namaz every day. She referred to Taj Mahal as the Tejomahalaya.

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) commandant, Braj Bhushan, said that the security forces had no knowledge of the incident as the guards were not allowed inside the Taj Mahal. Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has responded to the news by saying that they were checking the authenticity of the video.

ASI superintending office of the Agra division, Vasant Swarankar, said that ASI personnel had visited the monument but had not found any Dhoop or Puja material. He added that ASI has informed the local police and the CISF was asked to provide the CCTV footage. Swarankar added that action would be taken against the activists if the video turned out to be true.

Sadiq Ali, Imam of the mosque, has said that the activists had done a “mistake” and “action” has to be taken against the activists. However, Govind Parashar of the Rashtriya Bajrang Dal argued that no action should be taken against women who performed the Puja.