Uttar Pradesh chief Minister Yogi Adityanath called Taj Mahal ‘India’s rare gem’ on his visit to the Taj on Thursday. He said that the government is committed towards its conservation. He addressed a huge rally at the Government Inter College ground. He promoted the ‘Swatchh Bharat’ initiative by sweeping the parking lot near the west gate in the Taj complex. He spent few minutes inside the Taj mausoleum and also laid a foundation stone to a pathway which is supposed to connect Taj Mahal to the Agra Fort. He waived to the Indian and foreign tourists on this occasion.

The visit of CM Yogi Adityanath was much-awaited trip after several controversies have cropped up around the importance of Taj Mahal and its presence in Indian history. The itinerary for the CM’s visit ran two pages. Once again, CM Yogi Adityanath reiterated that the Taj Mahal was built with the sweat and blood of the sons of India.

CM seems to have tried to put an end to the controversy as he said that we do not need to delve deeper into why, when and how Taj Mahal was built. He said that it was important that Taj was built with the sweat and blood of India’s sons and labourers. He said that Taj Mahal is a rare gem India has presented to the world. He said that it attracts foreign tourists and generates revenue for the state. Hence, there is a need to share the responsibility to protect it, he added.