The Braj Mandal Heritage Conservation Society has shot out protest letters to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and the Archeological Survey of India.
Surendra Sharma, president of the Society, told IANS: "Ideally the Dubai builder should not go ahead with this project as it hurts our sentiments. Taj Mahal is basically a spiritual centre, with lakhs of people offering prayers and paying obeisance round the year.
"The Taj represents or climaxes the 5,000 years of Indian excellence. To belittle the original through a fake model is not a desirable thing."
The Taj's caretaker, Munazzar Ali, said nobody should doubt that the Taj Mahal was a spiritual destination for millions.
Islamic scholar Syed Jafrey explained the divine design of the Taj, India's biggest tourist draw.
"Basically, the Taj is a mausoleum, a mazar. Its status is the same as the mazaars of some great saints like Chisti or Auliya. Shah Jahan is now given the status of Vali-Allah, and an annual Urs is held," he said.
Former Agra mayor Anjula Singh Mahaur said she felt deeply hurt. "For commercial purposes you cannot misuse symbols and identity of a nation," she said.
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