Days after BJP leaders and ministers made provocative statements against Taj Mahal, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday swept a parking area outside the 17th century monument.
Yogi, who is the first BJP CM of UP to visit the monument of love, accompanied by dozens of officials and police commandos wore yellow gloves, a white cap and an anti-pollution mask to sweep litter at the west gate of the Taj Mahal along with 500 BJP social workers and activists.
HERE ARE THE LIVE UPDATES:
10:12 am: After a series of controversial statements made by some BJP leaders and ministers regarding the status of Taj Mahal, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is in Agra for his first visit to the monument of love.
10:15 am: The Uttar Pradesh chief minister lead the mega cleanliness campaign along with BJP social workers and activists around the west gate of Taj Mahal.
10:10 am: Adityanath participates in mega cleanliness campaign along with BJP social workers.
10:00 am: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath reaches Taj Mahal.
09:00 am: In a symbolic gesture of importance being given to Taj Mahal, the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, who is the first BJP CM of the state to visit the 17th century monument, lead a team of 500 volunteers to launch Swachchata Abhiyan at Moghul monuments' western gate.
08:53 am: As per the programme, Adityanath will stay for half an hour at the graves of Shah Jahan and Mumtaz Mahal and visit the Shah Jahan park nearby.
08:50 am: The chief minister is also expected to lay foundation stone for the development of a tourist pathway from Taj Mahal to Agra Fort.
08:44 am: Earlier, the UP chief had declared that the state government will spend Rs 370 crore on development plans aimed at promoting tourism in the city of Taj.
08:40 am: Along with the visit to Taj Mahal, Adityanath will inaugurate various development projects in Agra, an official spokesman said. "During his tour of Agra, the chief minister will be visiting all the places inside Taj Mahal," principal secretary, tourism, Awanish Awasthi said.
08:30 am: The Uttar Pradesh chief minister's decision to visit Taj Mahal was announced after a series of controversies erupted, beginning with a UP tourism department booklet not mentioning the monument in its list of development projects in the state.
