Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Taj Mahal with his wife

Yogi Adityanath welcomed Israel PM Netanyahu and wife in Agra. Israel PM visited Taj Mahal, later Adityanath hosted him over lunch. Taj Mahal was called a blot on Indian culture by MLA Sangeet Som few months ago

Few months after BJP MLA Sangeet Som called Taj Mahal a blot on Indian culture, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and wife Sara today visited the 17th century Mughal monument in Agra.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath received the Israeli Prime Minister in Agra and later hosted a lunch for Netanyahu and his wife.

Today's visit to Agra, the city of Taj, is perhaps one of the many attempts by Yogi Adityanath to put the Taj controversy behind which erupted with a booklet of the Uttar Pradesh tourism department not mentioning Taj Mahal in its list of major tourist destinations.

Days later, BJP MLA Sangeet Som had said that the person who built Taj Mahal "targeted Hindus in Uttar Pradesh and Hindustan". "Many people were pained to see that the Taj Mahal was removed from the list of places... Is this history that the person who built Taj Mahal imprisoned his father?" said the BJP MLA.

TAJ IN CONTROVERSY

Taj Mahal was not listed in Uttar Pradesh tourism department's booklet. BJP MLA Sangeet Som called Taj Mahal a blot on Indian culture. Sangeet Som said the person who built Taj targeted Hindus

Fire-fighting the controversy, the Yogi government did not endorse Sangeet Som's remarks and called them his personal opinion. At a rally in Gorakhpur, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister called Taj Mahal "a world-class monument" and "pride of India".

Adityanath said the "blood and sweat" of Indian workers had gone into making of the monument and the government has allocated Rs 370 crore for various development plans meant for promoting tourism in Agra.

Subsequently, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister visited Agra along with state tourism minister Rita Bahuguna Joshi and deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma. Yogi Adityanath spent considerable time inside the monument and promoted Swacch Bharat Abhiyan by sweeping the road near the western gate of Taj Mahal.

Now, the Yogi Adityanath government may also showcase Taj Mahal, besides other tourist sites, in its tableau for the Republic Day parade this year.

Yogi Adityanath's visit to Agra today to personally welcome the Israeli Prime Minister seems to be in line with his recent attempts to promote Taj.