New Delhi: As Taj Mahal was missing from the tourist itinerary of Uttar Pradesh, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday taking a jibe at Yogi Adityanath government termed it as ‘Andher Nagri, Chaupat Raja (Useless ruler of a town plunging into darkness)’.
“The sun doesn’t lose any of its brightness if you fail to point a candle at it. It is this kind of rule that (poet) Bhartendu (Harishchandra) was referring to when he coined the phrase ‘andher nagri, choupat raja’ (useless ruler of a town plunging into darkness),” Rahul Tweeted.
A controversy erupted after the booklet released last weekend mentioned Naimisharanya, Allahabad, Chitrakoot and a host of other places, but not Agra or the Taj Mahal.
Apart from Rahul Gandhi, leaders of other Opposition parties too criticised the omission of the Taj Mahal.
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“I believe that for people all over the world, one of the major spots for tourists is the Taj Mahal. It also supports the economy of UP. This is truly made in India. Therefore, people will only laugh at him and his complete ignorance of history and importance of preserving the beauty of Taj Mahal,” said the CPM’s Brinda Karat.
Adityanath led UP Government had not included Taj Mahal as a part of Uttar Pradesh’s cultural heritage at the time of presenting state budget for 2017-18, Hindustan Times had reported. No mention of Taj Mahal was made in the special section ‘Hamari Sanskritik Virasat’ (Our Cultural Heritage) incorporated in the finance minister’s 63-page speech.
Three months ago, Adityanath said at a rally in Darbhanga in Bihar that “foreign dignitaries visiting the country used to be gifted replicas of Taj Mahal, which did not reflect Indian culture”, Times of India mentioned.