Right Wing Group Files Plea Against 'Urs' Observation At Taj Mahal

They also challenged the free entry for 'Urs' inside the Taj Mahal.

The court accepted the petition and scheduled the hearing for March 4.

According to PTI, the petitioner's counsel Anil Kumar Tiwari said, "On Friday, the petitioner ABHM through its divisional head Meena Diwakar and district president Saurabh Sharma filed a petition in the Court of IV Additional Civil Judge (Junior Division) Room No 4 at Civil Court premises in Agra.

"They have sought for a permanent prohibitory injunction against the committee celebrating the 'Urs. The petitioner has also objected to having free entry for the Urs at the Taj Mahal," he added.

Sanjay Jat, a spokesperson for ABHM, argued that the organization submitted the petition relying on an RTI that disclosed the historical fact that neither the Mughals nor the British permitted Urs ceremonies to be conducted within the premises of the Taj.

"The petition has been filed on the basis of an RTI filed by a Raj Kishore Raje, an historian of Agra city. In the RTI, he asked ASI who permitted 'Urs' celebration and 'Namaz' in Taj Mahal premises. The ASI replied that neither Mughals, nor the British government or the Government of India have allowed 'Urs' celebration in the Taj Mahal," Sanjay Jat told PTI.

"So, on that basis we have filed a petition seeking the prohibitory injunction, stopping the organisers of Shahjahan 'Urs' Celebration Committee, headed by Saiyyad Ibrahim Zaidi, from celebrating the 'Urs' at the Taj Mahal."

What is 'Urs' observation?

The three-day 'Urs' event will take place this year from February 6 to February 8.

The period is observed to mark the death of Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan, who got the Taj Mahal constructed in 1653 on the banks of of the Yamuna river.

The three-day 'Urs' sees the rituals of 'chadar poshi', 'sandal', 'gusul', 'kul' among other events.

On the last day of the 'Urs', a 'chadar', measuring 1,880 metre or more, is offered.