AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi hit out at the Archaeological Survey of India over a video showing water leaking from the main dome of the Taj Mahal. After the video went viral this week, Owaisi criticized the ASI, saying it “makes hundreds of crores from the Taj Mahal but this is the way it treats one of the greatest symbols of Indian culture.”
In a post on X on Saturday, Owaisi said, “Funnily enough, the same ASI claims that Waqf monuments should be taken over by it so that it can maintain them.”
“This is like failing an exam in 10th grade and then enrolling for a PhD!” Owaisi added while sharing one of the viral videos.
An alleged 20-second video of a flooded garden on the premises of the Taj Mahal has been doing the rounds on social media since Thursday following heavy rains. Agra in Uttar Pradesh, where the Taj Mahal is located, has witnessed continuous rains for the past three days, causing waterlogging in most parts of the city.
On Saturday, Rajkumar Patel, head of the Agra division of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), told news agency PTI that a drone camera had been used to check the main dome.
“Yes, we saw the leakage in the main dome. When we checked it later, it was found to be seepage and there was no damage to the main dome. We checked the main dome with a drone camera,” Patel told PTI.
A local resident, who works as a government-licensed tour guide, said the Taj Mahal is the pride of Agra and the entire nation, adding that it provides employment to hundreds of locals and people working in the tourism industry.
“The monument needs to be taken care of properly as it is the only hope for the tourism industry,” said Monika Sharma, a government-licensed guide.