Taj Mahal row: Was built by blood, sweat of Indian labourers, says Yogi Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on 17 October gave a clear snub to his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Sangeet Som for stirring the Taj Mahal controversy, stating that "it does not matter who built it and for what reason; it was built by blood and sweat of Indian laborers".

Som had courted controversy on Sunday, stating that the iconic Taj Mahal was built by traitors and hence, cannot be included in the Indian history.

Speaking to ANI, Adityanath said, "The Taj Mahal is very imp for us, especially from tourism perspective it is our priority to provide facilities and safety to tourists there. It does not matter who built it and for what reason; it was built by blood and sweat of Indian labourers".

Adityanath further asserted that his government will organise a special, world class event on Diwali in Ayodhya.

Meanwhile, Adityanath is all set to visit Agra on October 26. He will also visit the Taj Mahal and attend a programme to promote tourism. This would be his maiden visit to the mausoleum of Mughal Emperor Shahjahan and his wife Mumtaz Mahal, after being sworn into office earlier this year.

The monument to love became the centre of controversy after Sangeet Som said that it was built by a traitor and is a blot on Indian culture. The BJP leader made the remark during an event at the Sisoli village in Meerut district on Sunday. 

-ANI