A public interest litigation has been filed in the Delhi High Court, seeking the removal of what is claimed to be inaccurate historical information regarding the construction of the Taj Mahal by Shah Jahan from educational textbooks.
The case, brought by Surjit Singh Yadav, President of the NGO Hindu Sena, asserts that there is no historical evidence of the demolition of Raja Man Singh’s palace and the subsequent construction of the Taj Mahal on the same site.
The respondents in the case include the Central Government, the Archaeological Survey of India, the National Archives of India, and the State of Uttar Pradesh.
Yadav is requesting that the Archaeological Survey of India conduct an investigation into the Taj Mahal’s age and the existence of Raja Man Singh’s palace as of December 31, 1631, and provide a report to the court.
Furthermore, Yadav is seeking a directive for the Central Government to publish what he believes to be the “correct history” of Raja Man Singh’s palace, which was allegedly renovated by Shah Jahan from 1632 to 1638.
Yadav claims that this information can be found in the book “Padshahnama” authored by Abdul Hamid Lahori and Qazwini.
He asserts that his knowledge is sourced from public records, RTI applications, websites, and historical books.
The plea emphasizes the importance of people having access to accurate historical information, stating that the non-disclosure or dissemination of incorrect facts regarding the Taj Mahal’s construction would violate constitutional rights under Article 21 and Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India.
Yadav disputes the 17-year period traditionally attributed to the construction of the Taj Mahal, claiming that the Tomb of Mumtaz Mahal was nearly complete by 1638, making the historical fact of a 17-year construction period factually incorrect.