New Delhi: One of the Hindutva groups namely United Hindu Front (UHF) has targeted another Indian heritage site, Qutab Minar, New Delhi. They demanded it be declared as a ‘Vishnu Sthamb’. The group members gathered at the medieval era archaeological marvel, Qutab Minar, with the intent to recite Hindu religious song Hanuman Chalisa.
They were holding ‘Saffron’ flags and chanting Hindu religious slogan ‘Jai Shri Ram’. In a memorandum submitted to Indian Home Minister Amit Shah, UHF Chief Jaibhagwan Goyal claimed that the heritage site which was built during early Muslim rule in India by Qutabuddin Aaibak, is ‘actually’ a Vishnu temple. In his memorandum, Goyal wants Qutab Minar named ‘Vishnu Stambh, and the 27 temples which he claimed were demolished while constructing the minar, rebuilt for ‘pooja-aarti’ inside them.
Reacting to the developments, renowned journalist and activist, Rana Ayyub said, “It always starts with the fringe, then the survey, then the mob and finally a clean chit by the judiciary”. Earlier, a local BJP leader, Rajanish Kumar Singh from Ayodhya had filed a petition in the Allahabad High Court demanding opening of the closed room inside Taj Mahal to ascertain whether there are Hindu idols and scriptures inside. The petition claimed that the Taj is actually a Shiva temple.
In the past, Hindutva activists recited Shiv Chalisa (Hindu religious songs) inside the Taj Mahal complex in Agra on the occasion of Hindu festival ‘Mahashivratri’. Some members of Hindu Jagaran Manch including its district President Gauravn Thakur, waved ‘Saffron’ flags inside the monument a few months back. Reacting to the petition, Human rights activist Kavita Shrivastva said, “The Hindutvavaadis will not stop till all important Muslim shrines and relics are declared as Hindu shrines. They will take the Qutub Minar, Baba Budangiri, Taj Mahal apart from Gyanvapi and Syed mosque in Mathura and others. They are already in court for Taj Mahal”. India Today
