Posted on 07/15/2005 10:39:35 PM PDT by iso
NEW DELHI (AFP) - The Indian government has rejected a Muslim body's claim to ownership of the Taj Mahal monument which sparked angry reactions among Hindus.
Law Minister Hansraj Bhardwaj said there was no need for the Sunni Waqf Board to take charge of the world-famous monument which it claimed this week because it houses Muslim graves.
"I am surprised about this declaration. The Sunni Waqf Board already has so much property and they do not know how to take care of it," Bhardwaj said on Friday.
"There is no need for any other body to look after the monument as the (national) Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) is taking care of it quite well," the minister said on the sidelines of a legal seminar.
The Waqf board, which manages India's Sunni graveyards and mosques, laid claim to the national treasure on Wednesday after a state court asked whether it considered itself the owner of the white-marbled building.
The monument was built by the Moghul emperor Shah Jahan in the 17th century and houses his grave and that of his wife Mumtaj Mahal, to whom it is dedicated.
The Waqf board's statement sparked anger among Hindu groups and the ASI-approved Taj Conservation Committee said Friday that it would take the board to court.
"We will tell the Supreme Court that the board's decision has made the historic monument a subject of controversy which might result in the curtailment of tourist flow to it," committee president Ajai Agarwal told reporters in Agra, the northern town where the Taj stands.
"The Taj is also on the hit-list of terrorists and the Waqf Board has no infrastructure to look after the monument," he said.
The ASI has warned the Muslim board's claims could blunt tourism and lead to mismanagement of the fragile monument, which is adorned by four slender minarets and attracts two million tourists a year.
An Agra-based historian also rejected the Waqf's claim as did two local academics.
"It would be an unwelcome development as it has a poor record of looking after its properties," Ramesh Chandra Sharma, who has been teaching history for 40 years in Agra's prestigious St. John's College, said of the board.
The Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a letter to Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday called for the Waqf Boards to be disbanded.
Mooslims won't be happy until they've pi$$ed everyone off.
Geez, they think that everything is their's.
Yes, Mooslims are going to make the War on Terrorism a world-wide fight. Governments are getting rather sick of their actions. Even governments that should be their natural allies are beginning to get tired of the unrest.
They actually do, which is why they hijack everything. Haven't had an original thought in eons. Besides, if the muslims got hold of control of the Taj, it would be trashed or blown up eventually.
I'm sure Mohammed went on a magic ride to the Taj Mahal, thus securing its importance in Islamic history. Even if it's not in the Koran (like Jerusalem).
I'm just sure of it. /sarc
ping
You think they'll be happy then? Muawhahahaha... (maniacal laughter)
That's for sure.
now watch....they can't 'have it' , they will attack it.
Deny it to the 'infidel' , you watch...
Well of course! they don't rewrite history just for the fun of it you know.
They also claim they discovered America, Australia, and just about everywhere else on the planet. That way, they can claim that once conquered land belongs to them, like they do Israel. (Bosnia, Spain, Italy, etc.)
India has been fighting Islam for over 1200 years, at a cost of over 100 million(+) lives. We could learn a few lessons from their history, and unwelcome Islamic experience.
India's history is a good example to toss into Islamic apologists' faces when they make "Islam is a peaceful religion" clams. Tony Blair should try read a little of it too. The fact that Paki-stan even exists is a result of Colonial goof ups that never should have happened should the UK at the time studied a little history.
At the same time, the UK arrived in India at a good time, India was at one of their weakest moments in their entire history. Too bad Paki- stan was created though. As we can see giving those butcher's their own land in a country they invaded in the first place only results in them wanting more in the future. the same is about to happen in Israel. Give an inch, and they use it as a platform to gain strength and attack harder.
This started centuries ago. The fact that these people are still at it, makes me think we should probably take them seriously.
Just so everyone here knows, the Muslim counsul has determined that it also owns all your houses, and they would like them back now
And if they start a jihad over this, pretty soon every square inch of the planet will house Muslim graves.
Why? Are there Muslim graves there?
Yet?
Good point, 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue and Spain finally kicked out the Muslims.
The next thing we know, the Muslims will be claiming the Capitol Rotunda is actually a Mosque, visited by Mohammad on a flying horse.
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