BJP leader trolled for calling Taj Mahal a ‘blot’  

Barely 10 days after Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath declared the iconic Taj Mahal as a heritage site and explained that just because the monument did not find place in the state government’s brochure on tourism did not mean it was being neglected, a BJP MP Sangeet Som declared in Meerut on Monday that Taj Mahal was built by “ Traitors” and had no place in Indian history.

The BJP leader, however, was trolled on Monday on social media platforms after the Sardhana MLA said: "Many people were disappointed that the Taj Mahal was removed from the UP tourism booklet. What history are we talking about? Whose history? The creator of the Taj Mahal (Shah Jahan) imprisoned his father. He wanted to wipe out all Hindus from India. If these people are part of our history, then it is very unfortunate."

Som’s remarks garnered him the anticipated controversy as many users, including several public figures took to Twitter to express their disapproval of Som's comment.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted, "No more Red Fort speeches on August 15. The PM will address the nation from Nehru Stadium...will fill some hearts with unabashed glee."

"Even Hyderabad House in Delhi was built by "Traitor", will Modi stop hosting Foreign Dignitaries?," asked All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen President Asaduddin Owaisi.

With more than 10,000 netizens commenting on the issue, #tajmahal became one of the most trending hashtags on Monday:

Since 2014 the number of tourists visiting the Taj Mahal has been falling. And according to figures available in the public domain, the Government had earned around ₹24 Crore by way of entry fees in 2015-16 while spending ₹3.8 Crore for its preservation.

With inputs from IANS