Will govt now tell tourists not to visit Taj Mahal: Owaisi on Som's remarks

Agencies

October 16, 2017

Hyderabad, Oct 16: Responding to BJP's Uttar Pradesh legislator Sangeet Som's comments questioning Taj Mahal's place in history, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi today asked if the government would tell tourists not to visit the monument.

Courting fresh controversy, Som yesterday questioned Taj Mahal's place in history, distorting historical facts to say that it was built by an emperor who had imprisoned his father and targeted Hindus.

In comments that came after the Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh reportedly left out the Taj Mahal from an official tourism booklet, Som said, "Many people were pained to see that the Taj Mahal was removed from the list of places (tourist destinations). What type of history?

"Is this history that the person who built the Taj Mahal imprisoned his father? Do you call it history when the one who built the Taj targeted many Hindus in Uttar Pradesh and Hindustan?"

In fact, Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, who built the Taj Mahal in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal, was the one imprisoned till the end of his days by his son Aurangzeb.

The MLA from Sardhana also termed Mughal emperors Babur, Akbar and Aurangzeb "traitors" and said their names would be removed from the pages of history.

Responding to the comments, Owaisi, the Lok Sabha member from Hyderabad, tweeted, ""Traitors" also build Red Fort will Modi stop hoisting Tiranga? Can Modi and Yogi tell domestic and foreign tourist not to visit Taj Mahal?"

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief also said Hyderabad House in Delhi, the venue for the Centre hosting foreign dignitaries, was built by "traitor".

"Even Hyderabad House in Delhi was built by "Traitor" will Modi stop hosting Foreign Dignitaries?" he asked.

Hyderabad House was built by Osman Ali Khan, the last Nizam, on a land offered by the British.

Addressing a gathering yesterday at Sisoli village in Uttar Pradesh after inaugurating a statue of 8th century king Anangpal Singh Tomar, Som had also said invaders of India have been glorified in history.

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Puttur's Healthcare Dream Cleared: State Finance Gives Nod for 300-Bed Hospital

News Network

December 2,2025

Puttur: The long-cherished dream of a government medical college in Puttur has moved a decisive step closer to reality, with the Karnataka State Finance Department granting its official approval for the construction of a new 300-bed hospital.

Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai announced the crucial development to reporters on Monday, confirming that the official communication from the finance department was issued on November 27. This 300-bed facility is intended to be the cornerstone for the establishment of the government medical college, a project announced in the state budget.

Fast-Track Implementation

The MLA outlined an aggressive timeline for the project:

• A Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the hospital is expected to be ready within 45 days.

• The tender process for the construction will be completed within two months.

Following the completion of the tender process, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to lay the foundation stone for the project.

"Setting up a medical college in Puttur is a historical decision by the Congress government in Karnataka," Rai stated. The project has an estimated budget allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for the medical college.

Focus on Medical Education Department

The MLA highlighted a key strategic move: requesting the government to implement the hospital construction through the Medical Education Department instead of the Health and Family Welfare Department. This is intended to streamline the entire process of establishing the full medical college, ensuring the facilities—including labs, operation theatres, and other necessary infrastructure—adhere to the strict guidelines set by the Medical Council of India (MCI). The proposed site for the project is in Bannur.

Rai also took the opportunity to address political criticism, stating that the government has fulfilled its promise despite "apprehensions" and "mocking and criticising" from opposition parties who had failed to take similar initiatives when they were in power. "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has kept his word," he added.

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