Tourists offer namaz at Taj Mahal, arrested; against SC order, says ASI

Three Indian tourists, who visited the Taj Mahal, were arrested for offering ‘namaz’ at the Shahi mosque in the monument’s premises, with the Archaeological Survey of India claiming that it was against an SC order.

“Four tourists were arrested for offering namaz at the mosque in Taj Mahal premises on Wednesday. Three of them are from Hyderabad and one is from Azamgarh. They have been booked under the section of 153 of IPC. They have been presented in the court,” said Vikas Kumar, Superintendent of Police (City).

Section 153 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) provides for punishment for “provoking with intent to cause riots”.

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A Supreme Court order prohibits offering of namaz inside Taj premises on days except on Friday, said Superintending archaeologist, ASI, Agra Circle, Raj Kumar Patel.

On Friday, only residents of Tajganj locality, where Taj Mahal is located, are allowed to offer namaz between 12 pm and 2 pm, he said.

The four men were seen offering namaz at the Shahi mosque around 5 pm on Wednesday evening. ASI officials and CISF came and stopped them and handed them over to the local police.

A tourist guide who had accompanied the tourists said they had no idea they were committing a crime, according to a PTI report.

“They had no idea that they cannot offer namaz. They did it by mistake. There wasn’t even any notice board saying that it’s prohibited,” Vinod Dixit, the tourist guide, said.

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The report quoted Ibrahim Zaidi, the head of the Intezamia Committee at Taj Mahal, as saying: “Namaz has been offered at the mosque of the Taj Mahal regularly. But some days ago, the Archaeological Survey of India claimed that as per the order of the Supreme Court of India offering namaz is prohibited in the mosque premises except Friday.”

He asked the ASI to give in writing the prohibition against namaz with proof and also display a board announcing the prohibition to the tourists.

Hindu groups have been claiming that the 17th century mausoleum built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz was actually a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva and called Tejo Mahalaya.

The Allahabad High Court recently dismissed a petition by a BJP leader seeking the opening of over 20 locked rooms in the monument.