Shah Jahan Wrote Taj Mahal In Sunni Board’s Name?

Never in your wildest dream would it have dawned upon you that one of the seven wonders of the world, Taj Mahal could be owned! But this has become a bone of contention between the Sunni Wakf Board and Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) where the former claims its ownership over the monument.

In this matter, the Supreme Court on Tuesday gave Uttar Pradesh Wakf Board a week time to produce papers signed by the emperor Shah Jahan that entitles them the board of ownership. As per a report in Hindustan Times, the top judge said “Who in India will believe it belongs to the wakf board? These kind of issues must not waste the time of the Supreme Court,” a bench led by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra told the board. “How did he (Shah Jahan) sign the wakfnama? He was in jail and used to view the monument while in custody."

The apex court judges said that after the Independence, the monuments came under government and falls under the purview of ASI.

“Under the 1858 proclamation, the properties taken over from the last Mughal emperor, Bahadur Shah Zafar, by the British vested with the Queen. By the 1948 act, the buildings were taken over by the Indian government,” said ASI advocate ADN Rao.