From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday junked a plea by the media chief of BJP’s Ayodhya unit for a “fact-finding inquiry” into the Taj Mahal’s history, claiming that many Hindu groups and historians say it was an old Shiva Temple, also known as Tejo Mahalaya.
The petition also sought a direction for “opening of 22 rooms” of the monuments under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
A Bench of Justices M R Shah and M M Sundresh upheld the Allahabad High Court’s ruling in May this year, holding that it was not in error in dismissing the petition by one Rajneesh Singh and calling it a “publicity interest litigation.
The High Court had pulled up Singh for filing the plea in a casual manner, noting that he failed to establish which of his legal or constitutional rights were being infringed.
The petitioner had contended that the controversy should be put to rest and argued that 22 rooms were situated in the upper and lower portion of the four-storied building of the Taj Mahal, which were permanently locked. He claimed the Shiva temple lies in those rooms. The High Court declined to entertain the plea.
