The theme for this year’s Taj Mahotsav will be centred around Lord Ram, rather than India’s Mughal heritage.
The Taj Mahal is the latest among the themes picked for creating trouble which is the mainstay of sectarian politics.
After a discredited, yet persistent, attempt to project a contrived theory of the monument originally being a temple of Lord Shiva, its ‘unintended’ omission from Uttar Pradesh’s tourist destinations and the dubious claims that it wasn’t part of India’s heritage, the state government has now decided that the central theme for this year’s Taj Mahotsav will be Lord Ram.
The organising committee, which has invited Governor Ram Naik and CM Yogi Adityanath to inaugurate the event, has said that the show would begin with a dance-based drama around Lord Ram. The 10-day Mahotsav will be held in Shilgram from 18 to 27 February.
UP government claimed that it has no role to play in organising and deciding the theme for Taj Mahotsav, saying it is all done by the organising committee which comprises of local administration officials. The government also clarified that the Taj Mahal will not be ignored and the Mahotsav will be held in the backdrop of the historical monument.
The Taj Mahotsav Organising Committee has decided to stage a dance-based drama by Shriram Bharati Kala Kendra on Lord Ram at the opening ceremony on February 18. The next day will hold a folk performance by singer Malini Awasthi. February 20 will be Bollywood Night and Qawwali singer Aslam Sabri will entertain audiences the next day. After that, the headline performance for Day 5 is from Black & White Group of Pune, who will be performing yesteryear songs. A Mushaira will be held on February 23 and a Kavi Sammelan on February 24.
If that didn’t seem objectionable, BJP MP Vinay Katiyar added his bit on Monday to say the Taj Mahal will soon become Tej Mandir.
When asked about the ‘Taj Mahostav’ being held in Agra, the MP told ANI, “Call it Taj Mahotsav or Tej Mahotsav both are the same things. There is not much difference between Taj and Tej. Our Tej Mandir had been turned into a cremation ground by Aurangzeb. Taj Mahal will be converted into Tej Mandir soon. You just wait and see how it will happen.”
“It is a good thing that a festival is being organised but this Taj Mahal is not the one that existed during the time of Aurangzeb. It was our temple,” he added. Earlier also, Katiyar had triggered a controversy by saying that Taj Mahal was originally a ‘Shiv Temple’. “It (Taj Mahal) was once a Shiv Temple and a ‘Shivaling’ was also built, which was later removed. There are many other signs that show that Mughal mausoleum is a Hindu Temple,” he had said.
BJP leader Vijay Shivhare said, “I want to ask opposition leaders, aren’t they Hindu? Don’t they take Lord Ram’s name when the wake-up? What better way to start a programme than by taking Lord Ram’s name?”
BJP Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, “There are many who question the culture and values of this country. That is why they raise questions. How can one raise questions on this? They don’t understand that the country’s culture and that values are above politics and religion.”
SP spokesperson Ghanshyam Tiwari, criticising the move, said that the BJP is trying to divert people’s attention as its government has failed to fulfil its promises. “We should not look at it from a communal point of view. Taj Mahal is a global heritage site and people from all over the world have come to see it. People had a lot of expectations with them, but the BJP has failed to deliver. Now, just to divert people from trivial issues, they are playing such games,” he said.