Delhi HC asks ASI to examine plea on "incorrect" information about Taj Mahal

The High Court has asked the ASI to examine the plea claiming that Taj Mahal was not built by Shah Jahan but only renovated by him. The petitioner sought to rectify the alleged incorrect information about Taj Mahal and also to determine the monument's age.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to examine a plea claiming that Taj Mahal was not constructed by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and that the latter had only renovated it. The petitioner had sought that the alleged "factually incorrect" information about Taj Mahal should be rectified in the history textbooks.

A bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela disposed of the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) claiming that the mughal emperor did not build the Taj Mahal and had only renovated the palace of Raja Man Singh, who was a general of Akbar, Shah Jahan's grandfather. The court noted that the petitioner had earlier filed a plea with a similar prayer before the Supreme Court, which had allowed him to withdraw it and he had made a representation to the ASI.

The top court had refused to entertain the petition in December 2022 saying that PILs are not meant to demand an investigation for fishing enquiry and courts are not meant to reopen history.

On Friday, petitioner Surjeet Singh Yadav's lawyer told the High Court that he had given a representation to the ASI in January but has not received any response till now.

Now, the High Court has asked ASI to look into the claims of the petitioner and take a decision on his representation. Yadav, president of NGO Hindu Sena, has claimed in his PIL that wrong historical facts are being taught and shown to the public about Taj Mahal's construction. The petition demands issuing instructions to the officials to remove the allegedly factually incorrect information.

The petition has also sought direction to ASI to conduct an investigation to ascertain the age of the monument. The petitioner argued that his research revealed that there was already a magnificent mansion at the site where the mortal remains of Shah Jahan's wife Mumtaz Mahal were buried.

The petition further stated that it is very strange why the court historians of Shah Jahan did not mention the name of the architect of this magnificent tomb. This clearly indicates that the mansion of Raja Man Singh was not demolished but only modified and renovated to give shape to Taj Mahal, he stated.

This 17th century monument, which is believed to have been built between 1631 and 1648, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.