SP leader Azam Khan's view on Taj Mahal: JD(U) asks Muslim not to fall into traps

NEW DELHI: Taking on senior SP leader Azam Khan for his demand that the Taj Mahal be handed over to Waqf Board, JD(U) today urged Muslims not to fall into such "traps" which are bound to give BJP a handy issue to "polarise" voters on religious lines.

JD(U) MP Ali Anwar Ansari said that Taj Mahal was not a mosque and not built from the personal wealth of Shahjahan but from public money.

"It's a national treasure. It does not belong to some individuals or a particular religion. I urge Muslims not to fall into such traps. Azam Khan's demand will give BJP an issue to polarise society," he told reporters outside Parliament.

Khan, the Muslim face of SP who is known for making controversial statements, had demanded that Taj Mahal should be handed over to Waqf Board, which manages collective Muslim properties like mosques or graveyards, and Muslims should be allowed to offer prayers from there.

He had claimed that since Shahjahan, who had built the monument, was buried there along with his wife, it was imperative it should be handed over to Waqf.

Presently, the ASI is the custodian of the iconic 17th century monument.