Nothing wrong in chanting Shiv Chalisa at Taj Mahal: BJP leader Vinay Katiyar

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vinay Katiyar on Tuesday said there is nothing wrong in chanting Shiv Chalisa at Taj Mahal as the place was earlier a temple. His comment comes after a group of activists belonging to two Hindu outfits recited the 'Shiva Chalisa' on the premises of the Taj Mahal on Monday. 

The youth, belonging to the Rashtra Swabhimaan Dal (RSD) and Hindu Yuva Vahini (HYV), were taken away by the CISF personnel deployed there and were handed over to the local police. 

Katiyar had on October 18 claimed that the Taj Mahal was, in fact, Lord Shiva's temple called 'Tejo Mahal' which was converted into a mausoleum by Shahjahan. But added that a monument as famous as this, should not be demolished. 

BJP's Sardhana MLA Sangeet Som had also recently stirred a controversy after he said that the monument should have no place in history as it was built by ‘traitors’. The BJP had distanced itself from Som saying that what he said was entirely his view.

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had also asked Som to explain why he made such a remark.