IN PICS | ASI Releases Photos Of Taj Mahal's Underground Rooms Amid Controversy

Images From ASI January Newsletter (Image Source:ASI January Newsletter)

According to PTI, the writ petition seeking to open doors of 22 rooms was filed earlier this month in the registry of the Lucknow bench of the High Court by Rajneesh Singh, who is the media in-charge of the BJP's Ayodhya unit. (Image Source:ASI January Newsletter)

The plea was listed before justice D K Upadhyay and justice Subhash Vidyarthi for the day. It sought a fact-finding inquiry into the "history" of the Taj Mahal, and also opening of the doors of its "22 rooms" to see "the truth, whatever it is". (Image Source:ASI January Newsletter)

The monument is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) which issues monthly newsletters. In January's issue it showed the restoration work done by the agency last year, it also contained photos of Taj Mahal from the inside of the monument.

The Lucknow bench of justices DK Upadhyay and Subhash Vidyarthi pulled up the lawyer of petitioner Rajneesh Singh for filing the PIL in a "casual" manner and said it cannot pass an order under Article 226 of the Constitution in the matter. The article empowers a high court to issue to any person or authority in the area under its jurisdiction orders or writs to enforce the fundamental rights. The bench said that the petitioner could not point out as to which of his legal or constitutional rights were being infringed. (Image Source:ASI January Newsletter)

Senior ASI officials said that the structure below the Taj Mahal was “not always locked” and that they had no idols. The senior officials had said that “various records and reports reviewed till now have not shown the existence of any (Hindu) idols”. (Image Source:ASI January Newsletter)

According to India Today, tourism industry sources alleged that these pictures have been released into the public domain to put an end to the misinformation about the contents of these rooms. (Image Source:ASI January Newsletter)