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Taj city’s political ‘josh’ is high

The Samajwadi Party is buoyed up as reports suggest that the Muslim votes are not expected to split this time…reports Brij Khandelwal

As mercury dipped further to intensify the continuing cold wave, the heat generated by the election euphoria, ahead of the Assembly polls, has brought a welcome relief to the people on the streets here.

The mist shrouding announcement of lists of candidates by different political parties, has now dissipated. The field is all set and the early dissenters have either backtracked or have been offered palliatives. Agra goes to polls on February 10. Though the nomination process started on January 14, so far no papers have been filed.

Local poll observers see an intense three-cornered contest. The Bharatiya Janata Party is pitted against the Bahujan Samaj Party and the Samajwadi Party, though the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party are also in the fray. For the nine Assembly seats in Agra Divison, the caste and religious formations have already been drawn with little scope for breach of past voting patterns.

The BJP, however, is hoping that a sizeable segment from each vote bank will deviate and support its candidates, because of the good performance of the Yogi Adityanath government, as can be assessed from the spectacular numbers of beneficiaries of welfare schemes.

The Samajwadi Party is buoyed up as reports suggest that the Muslim votes are not expected to split this time. In the past the fragmentation of the minority votes has helped the main party in the contest.

“Initially the BSP supremo was seen a little detached and indifferent to the state Assembly polls, causing fears that the Dalit votes could go to the main opposition party, but Bahenji was not sitting idle, but was doing her electoral homework, as is clearly evident from the candidates being fielded. The BSP will definitely put up a good show this time and prove to be the game spoiler for Akhilesh Yadav,” said experienced poll watcher Nandan Shrotriya.

BJP supporter and a river activist Dr Devashish Bhattacharya said “all the nine seats will go to the BJP with bigger margins. The ‘josh’ is high and the Hindutva Tsunami will sweep all obstacles, once the campaign picks up momentum.”

In neighbouring Mathura and Firozabad districts, the choice of candidates is helping the BJP and the groundswell of support is surprising the poll managers of the party.

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Taj, other ASI monuments reopen after 2 months

The Archaeological Survey of India has in a circular announced reopening of monuments from June 16…reports Asian Lite News.

The Archaeological Society of India (ASI) said that the Taj Mahal and other monuments protected by it and remained closed for visitors for the last two months due to the pandemic will reopen on June 16.

With some respite on the Covid-19 pandemic front, after steep decline in numbers, the district authorities are all set to welcome domestic tourists to the historical monuments in Agra.

In the wake of alarming rise in the number of Covid patients, the Taj and other monuments were shut down for visitors, two months ago.

The Archaeological Survey of India has in a circular announced reopening of monuments from June 16.

“During the closed period, mud pack treatment will be applied to the main dome of Taj Mahal while conservation of minarets in the monument will be done. The old stones of pietra dura art at the royal gate will be changed and the gate itself will be given a new look,” ASI’s superintending archaeologist (Agra circle) Vasant Kumar Swarnkar said.

The tourism industry captains in Agra have welcomed the decision and have asked for resumption of international flights. Hoteliers have also demanded sops and a special package to help the industry steer out of the crisis. “At least some relief can be considered in taxes and electricity bills,” said senior hotelier Surendra Sharma.

Hotels in Agra have been either shut or partially opened since March 2020. The Covid-19 pandemic has virtually crippled the hospitality and travel industry, which have been demanding special schemes and sops to ease the pangs from continued shut down.

Though the reopening of the monuments would help to some extent, but until international flights were resumed, there could be no positive turn around, feel the hoteliers.

Workers in PPE suits sanitise the Qutub Minar monument area after the Archaeological Survey of India allowed reopening of all monuments in Delhi.

The 17th century monument of love, the Taj Mahal attracted more than seven million tourists annually, before the pandemic.

District officials indicated that visitors to the monuments would need to take appropriate precautions before they are allowed entry. Care would be taken to ensure there was no crowding. Initially tickets would be issued online.

For the past one week, there has been a welcome decline in the daily numbers of Covid-19 patients. In the past 24 hours only six cases were reported.

Health department officials said the city’s medical infrastructure had been streamlined, and necessary follow up measures were being taken in the rural areas.

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