Hindu extremists are rumored to be targeting the removal of a number of Muslim sites in Indonesia Indiaone of them Taj Mahal.

The group claims that the Taj Mahal is a site built on top of a Hindu temple.

As reported AFPthey believe the magnificent palace was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in the Shiva Temple area.

“It was demolished by the Mughal invaders so that a mosque could be built there,” Sanjay Jat, spokesman for India’s radical Hindu organization Masabha, told AFP. AFP.

The extremist group has also created a petition urging the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to open 20 rooms at the Taj Mahal. According to them, the room contains items of Hindu idols.

ASI denied the allegations and the court also denied the motion. Despite being rejected, Jat and his band insist they won’t give up.

“I will continue to fight for this until I die,” Jat said.

“We respect the court but if necessary, we will destroy the Taj Mahal and prove the existence of the temple there.”

Meanwhile, a professor of South Asian history at Rutgers University, Audrey Truschke, said the Taj Mahal claim was absurd.

“As far as I know, there is no coherent theory regarding the Taj Mahal involved in this speech. However, what is involved is pride [kelompok] excited and fragile nationalists who do not allow anything non-Hindu to be part of India and insist on removing the Islamic part of Indian heritage,” he said. AFP.

Not only targeting the Taj Mahal, extremists are said to have attacked Gyanvapi, Varanasi, India. This attack came after reports circulated about Shivalinga’s presence in the mosque.

Shivalinga is a symbol of Lord Shiva for Hindus.

“It means that [masjid] is a temple site,” said government minister Kaushal Kishore, who belongs to the Hindu nationalist party Bharatiya Janata (BJP). AFP.

Kishore also said Hindus should pray there. Extremist groups are also reportedly targeting the Ayodhya Mosque, which they claim was built in the homeland of Rama, another Hindu god.

There is also the Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura, which is now the target of extremist groups. The mosque was built by Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb in 1670 and is near what is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Krishna.

(pwn/bin)