Taj Mahal: Did Kerala Tourism just poke fun at UP and CM Yogi? Yes, insists Twitterati

State corporations generally don't troll each other, but a seemingly innocuous tweet from the official handle of the Kerala Tourism Department might have succeeded in giving it a shot. The tweet from Kerala Tourism that has gone viral reads, "God's Own Country salutes the #TajMahal for inspiring millions to discover India. #incredibleindia." It was retweeted over 3,000 times and attracted 6,000 likes.

Following the trend, Kerala Tourism Minister Kadakampally Surendran also tweeted, "As an Indian, I am proud of our rich heritage & #TajMahal symbolises it. Kerala salutes Taj Mahal which inspire millions!" It was later retweeted by the Kerala Tourism handle. The act has proved to be irresistible for Twitterati with many interpreting it as an attempt to troll Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

While acknowledging 'the marble wonder' located in the city of Agra, the pun could not have been lost as it came at a time when the Uttar Pradesh government continues to draw flak for omitting the Mughal-era monument symbolising love from the tourism booklet listing major attractions in the north Indian state.

If this was not enough, BJP MLA Sangeet Som, MP Vinay Katiyar and Parliamentarian Subramanian Swamy have also rushed to denounce the Mughal-era monument. Subramanian Swamy in his latest attempt to wade into the controversy said that there are documents to prove that Mughal emperor Shah Jahan stole the property where the Taj Mahal stands from Jaipur kings.

This came after Sangeet Som was quoted as saying that Taj Mahal was built by a "traitor" and is a blot on the Indian culture. BJP MP Vinay Katiyar stated that Shah Jahan had razed a Hindu temple dedicated to god Shiva to build Taj Mahal.

BJP stalwarts, including CM Yogi Adityanath, have rushed in to save the party from further onslaught. They say that the monument 'was built by the sweat and blood of the sons of Bharat Mata.' The 'wonder of India' has also been included in a heritage calendar published by the UP government, but the damage has already been done.