Is the Taj Mahal owned by the Waqf Board? Ownership EXPOSED

Imagine the Taj Mahal, a Seven Wonder of the world, at the center of intense controversy. This brutal battle over the ownership of this glorious monument has raged on for over a decade now. The case pitted the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) against each other, before the Supreme Court finally stepped in to settle the matter. 

A Businessman's Petition Embroils the Storm 

It all started in the year 1998 when Firozabad-based industrialist Irfan Bedar went to the Uttar Pradesh Sunni Waqf Board with a proposal. He asked the Taj Mahal to be declared a Waqf property due to its religious and historical importance. The Waqf Board, which was caught up in the idea of Bedar, decided to issue a notice to the ASI, the managing authority of the Taj Mahal. None of them knew that this action would lead to a decade-long legal dispute.

The Legal Battle Heats Up

As the case ran its course in the courts, the Allahabad High Court asked the Waqf Board to consider Bedar's petition with seriousness. The Board had in 2005 decided to register the Taj Mahal as a Waqf property, but the ASI objected and filed the case with the Supreme Court. The Court, in 2010, suspended the decision of the Waqf Board and directed that a thorough probe be conducted. The stage was set for an exciting showdown.

The Supreme Court Intervenes: "Show Us the Papers"

The Supreme Court intervened in 2018, demanding that the Waqf Board produce original documents signed by Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan himself. The Court's message was clear: "No documents, no claim." Waqf Board lawyers hurried to produce evidence, but their attempts were in vain.

The Politics of Ownership: Azam Khan Speaks Up

When the fight was on, Azam Khan, a Samajwadi Party senior leader, joined the battle. He claimed that the Taj Mahal must be constituted as a Waqf property due to the tombs of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal inside the monument. Khan's statement ignited a firestorm of controversy, with his critics complaining that he was politicizing the matter.

Shia Leaders Join the Fray

Shia leaders also jumped into the controversy, asserting that the Taj Mahal had a unique connection with Shia heritage. They cited the architecture of the monument as proof of its Shia connections. The stage was ready for an intriguing journey through the history and significance of the Taj Mahal.

The Waqf Board takes U-Turn: "The Taj Mahal Belongs to Allah"

In a surprising turn of events, the Waqf Board in 2018 yielded to the fact that the Taj Mahal could not be legally established as a Waqf property since there was no evidence. They instead stated that the monument "belongs to Allah" and should be operated by the Waqf Board for practical purposes.The ASI, however, turned down the proposal on grounds of fear of setting a wrong precedent. 

The Taj Mahal's Fate: A Nation Holds Its Breath 

With the pressure mounting on the Taj Mahal ownership controversy, the country holds its breath. Will the Supreme Court judgment put an end to the scandal, or will the scandal refuse to die? There is one thing for sure: the fate of the Taj Mahal is hanging in the balance, and the judgment will have far-reaching consequences for India's heritage.