Allahabad High Court seeks UOI's counter affidavit on Hindu saint's plea seeking permission to enter Taj Mahal with his Dharmdand and Saffron attire

In the plea moved by Jagadguru Paramhansacharya, who was denied entry to the Taj Mahal allegedly owing to his wooden stick and saffron attire, the Allahabad High Court on Tuesday directed the Union of India and other respondents to file counter affidavit within four weeks. 

The bench of Justices Manoj Kumar Gupta and Dr. Yogendra Kumar Srivastava posted the matter for further hearing in the week commencing 5 September 2022.

In the writ petition, moved through Advocate Tiwari Abhishek Rajesh, the Hindu saint has sought ad-interim mandamus commanding and directing the administration and security officer of Taj Mahal to allow him and his pupil, Dharmendra Goswami, to enter the monument premises with their Dharmdand and Bhagwa Vastra without any restrictions.

The saint was first denied entry to the Taj Mahal on April 26, however, later on, the officer of the Archeological Survey of India invited him and his pupil to visit the monument on or before May 5 and when the saint reached the monument on May 3, he was restrained again.

Claiming that he has no intention to create hindrance or nuisance at the Tajmahal, saint's plea states, "Now petitioners have doubt that there is some mystery in the Taj Mahal and they have suspicion that there were some ancient Hindu temples (there)...Therefore, the matter needs proper investigation."

Jagadguru Paramhansacharya is a Mahamandaleshwar of the Sri Tapaswi Ji Ki Chawani Tapasvi Acharya Peethadhishwar situated at Ramghat, Ayodhyaji and Goswami is Peethadhishwar/ Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of Sri Shankaracharya Sanatan Dashnam Goswami, Akhada situated at Srimath Maheshwar Dham, Sunrakh Road, Vridawan, Mathura.

Case Title: Jagadguru Paramhans Acharya v. Union Of India And 5 Others