22 doors of Taj Mahal will not be opened says HC

New Delhi, May 12: The Allahabad High Court has rejected a plea seeking a fact finding inquiry into the history of the Taj Mahal. The plea had also sought for the opening of its 22 locked rooms, which was also rejected by the court.

The court said that the plea to constitute a fact finding committee to find out the real truth behind Taj Mahal is a non-justiciable issue. The prayers cannot be adjudicated upon by this court.

For the prayer regarding opening up of the rooms, the historical research ought to involve a proper methodology. This should be left to the historians the court added.

The Bench comprising Justices D K Upadhyay and Subhash Vidyarthi said said that it does not agree with the arguments of the petitioners. The petitioners presented past High Court and Supreme Court judgments about the freedom of religion.

Asking for a fact finding committee to look into this does not fall under the purview of your rights. We are not convinced. It does not fall under the ambit of the RTI, the court also said.

Several right-wing outfits have claimed in the past that the Mughal-era mausoleum was a Lord Shiva temple.

However, lawyers of the Allahabad High Court, both in Prayagraj and Lucknow, boycotted work on Tuesday to protest against the inordinate time being taken in listing of fresh cases by the registry of the high court.

The complainant said, "In the petition, I have demanded that the 22 doors of rooms of the monument which are closed should be opened to see the truth, whatever it is".

The monument is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The petition has also sought setting aside certain provisions of The Ancient and Historical Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (Declaration of National Importance) Act 1951, and The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958, under which the Taj Mahal, Fatehpur Sikri, Agra Fort, Itimad-ud-Daulah's tomb were declared historical monuments.