New Delhi [India] February 05 (NT): The Saffron Govt in Uttar Pradesh seems to have taken in revolutionize at the annual 'Taj Mahotsav' as The 'Taj Mahotsav' festival used to have a theme around Mughal culture, will for the first time ever flag off with a dance-drama based on Lord Ram in this year edition. And this has led to a hullabaloo with the state government being pointed the finger at saffronisation of the occasion.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Vinay Katiyar on Monday put fuel on fresh controversies related 'Taj Mahostav' by saying Taj Mahal will soon become Tej Mandir.

When asked about the 'Taj Mahostav' being held in Agra, the MP told , "Call it Taj Mahotsav or Tej Mahotsav both are the same things. There is not much difference between Taj and Tej. Our Tej Mandir has been turned into a cremation ground by Aurangzeb. Taj Mahal will be converted into Tej Mandir soon."

"It is a good thing that a festival is being organized but this Taj Mahal is not the one that existed during the time of Aurangzeb. It was our temple," he further said.

Earlier also, Katiyar had stroked a controversy by saying that Taj Mahal was originally a 'Shiv Temple'.

"It (Taj Mahal) was once a Shiv Temple and a 'Shivaling' was also built, which was later removed. There are many other signs that show that Mughal mausoleum is a Hindu Temple," he had noted.

The yearly carnival will be held from February 18 to 27 in Agra and both Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Ram Naik have been invited to be present at the inaugural ceremony.(NT)