Now that tourist attractions are open to the public after the ‘Unlock’ guidelines in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, some members of the Hindu Jagran Manch visited the Taj Mahal on Monday. They also waved saffron flags in front of the 17th century mausoleum and posed for photographs. However, four persons, including the outfit’s youth wing district president were soon arrested. They were charged under section 153 A (Promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion) of IPC and Section 7 of The Criminal Law Amendment Act at Tajganj police station based on a complaint filed by the CISF.
#Agra: Activists of Hindu Jagran Manch on Monday hoisted saffron flags within the premises of #TajMahal, leading to the arrest of four persons including the outfit’s youth wing district president. pic.twitter.com/F3OFGDQG3e
— TOI Agra (@TOIAgra) January 4, 2021
Unfortunately, the waving of saffron flags did not go down well with Islamists on Twitter. Triggered, they ranted on the social media platform, going as far as casting aspersions on the security personnel stationed at the tourist spot.
Central Industrial Security Force (@CISFHQrs ) is taking care of Taj Mahal security. There are hundreds of CISF personals working in shifts in Taj Mahal. Wonder where they were during this incident. https://t.co/YYMJmdiEZE
— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) January 4, 2021
Some even made shocking allegations that Hindus in government service, serving in any capacity, were incapable of being loyal to India’s Constitution!
https://twitter.com/arifayyub/status/1346141066555248641
Also triggered by the colour saffron was noted performer Swara Bhaskar, who made the astounding — and deeply mystifying — mental leap that simply waving saffron flags on the premises of a Mughal-era mausoleum was tantamount to “vandalism”.
एक बार फिर क्या होता है?????????????
एक बार फिर का सही इस्तेमाल…
एक बार फिर भगवा गुंडों ने ग़ैर क़ानूनी ढंग से एक मुसलमान राजा द्वारा बनायी इमारत को vandalise किया। https://t.co/CiESan4a3J— Swara Bhasker (@ReallySwara) January 4, 2021
It is hilarious that the same people — self-confessed liberals, no less — have a problem with people simply waving saffron flags in front of a public monument, while they see no issue with namaz offered inside a temple.
Several netizens then went on to praise the Mughals for building the structure, making crude attempts at basking in reflected glory (if the word ‘glory’ could be associated with the Mughal Empire, that is). They also called the sightseers ‘sanghis’, ‘goons’, ‘thugs’, ‘chaddis’, ‘extremists’ etc.
https://twitter.com/_imnazim/status/1346133134354444288
The Taj Mahal is a tomb. Hindu extremists are targeting the resting place of a deceased Mughal Empress. https://t.co/sBlSycG5Z1
— s (@universalgtk) January 4, 2021
https://twitter.com/Rehan59998242/status/1346298692110745600
https://twitter.com/fluent_114/status/1346077364002770949
Another Twitter user went on stress the everlasting Islamic nature of the structure.
https://twitter.com/HibaBeg/status/1346401626827812869
Another netizen went on to make a bold statement about the revenue generated from the Taj Mahal.
A group of Chaddi's will just go & raise saffron flags in Taj Mahal. Can they match even a fraction of the Taj? Taj Mahal generates revenue, which helps Govt's economy. Still nautanki karni hai!
— Salman Nizami (@SalmanNizami_) January 5, 2021
It must be noted that while the revenue generated from the Taj Mahal (which is only a mausoleum of national importance) was roughly ₹86.5 crores in 2018-19, the annual revenue generated for the State from just one Hindu temple in Karnataka — the Kukke Subrahmanya Temple — was ₹89 crore, as reported in April 2018. One can only speculate on the entire revenue generated for the State from thousands of temples that are under government control across the country.