'Failing 10th class...': Owaisi's dig at ASI over Taj Mahal water leakage

'Failing 10th class...': Owaisi slams ASI over Taj Mahal leakage
15 Sep 2024

All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) party president Asaduddin Owaisi has criticized the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) following a viral video showing water leakage from the main dome of the Taj Mahal.

In his social media post, Owaisi accused the ASI of neglecting the monument despite substantial tourism revenues.

"The same ASI argues that Waqf monuments should be taken by over by it... This is like failing a 10th class exam and applying for a PhD!" he wrote.

ASI attributes leakage to rainfall, denies structural damage
Official response

A 20-second video showing rainwater seeping through the ivory-white marbles of the Taj Mahal's main dome went viral on Saturday.

The footage led many to question the monument's structural stability.

However, a senior ASI official, Rajkumar Patel, attributed the leakage to heavy rainfall in Agra and dismissed any concerns about structural damage.

"After that when we checked, it was due to seepage and there was no damage to the main dome," Patel told PTI.

Ongoing row over Waqf (Amendment) Bill
Legal dispute

Owaisi's criticism of the ASI comes amid an ongoing dispute over the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

The Waqf Act 1995 allows the Waqf Board to designate any property or building as a charity in its name.

However, this authority has led to conflicts with rights granted under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act 1958, as protected monuments are being declared as Waqf properties.