New Delhi [India] Apr 21 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has flayed the Taj Mahal incident wherein the foreign models were asked to remove saffron scarves bearing Jai Shri Ram but the Congress on the other lambasted the ruling saffron brigade and alleged that it was giving communal colour to anything and everything.
BJP leader Shazia Ilmi condemned the incident and said every Indian, including the foreign tourists, is free to wear the dress of their choice in India.
"If some models wanted to wear saffron scarves with Jai Shri Ram written on it then I don't think anybody should have any problem.
This type of behavior at Taj Mahal, which is monument of love, is deplorable," said Shazia. Congress leader P.C. Chako, however, said the truth in the matter is yet to come out and pondered whether there was any dress code in place or not, or why exactly the models were asked to remove scarves bearing Jai Shri Ram.
He blamed the saffron brigade, led by the BJP, and said that those who raked up this issue and demonstrated against it want to make an issue out of no issue at all.
He added: "The BJP needs communal division in this country. They can only survive in India if the society is divided on the communal lines." He also cautioned the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) in the wake of the incident while urging them to take extra precautions so that such provocative incidents do not occur ever again.
Models from different countries, who are in India to participate in the Supermodel International Contest being held in Delhi from April 12-22, visited the Taj Mahal.
Some of them were wearing saffron scarves bearing Jai Shri Ram to protect themselves from heat. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel reportedly asked them to remove saffron scarves.
The Hindu Jagran Manch (HJM) and Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) opposed the move and protested against the ASI office at Mall Road in Agra.
The CISF said they acted as per the directions given by the ASI. The ASI said under Section 8 (d) of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Rules, 1959, the tourists are generally stopped from carrying such objects.
Source: ANI
