BJP leader Sangeet Som has triggered controversy by saying the Taj Mahal is a "blot" on Indian culture and misquoted history by saying that Shah Jahan, builder of the 17th century marble mausoleum, had jailed his father and wanted to wipe out Hindus from the country.

The remarks by the Sardhana MLA in Meerut came after the Uttar Pradesh government removed the Taj Mahal from the list of attractions in its tourism booklet.

"Many people were disappointed that the Taj Mahal was removed from the UP tourism booklet. What history are we talking about? Whose history? 

BJP's Sangeet Som says,'Many were sad when Taj Mahal was removed from historical places.What history? Its creator wanted to wipe out Hindus' pic.twitter.com/5OcpJwC4d7

— ANI (@ANI) October 16, 2017