Taj Mahal among seven wonders, don't want it to be decimated: SC

People, who are not the residents of Agra, would not be allowed to enter a mosque located inside the Taj Mahal complex to offer Friday prayers, the Supreme Court ordered today, while rejecting a plea saying the monument was one of the seven wonders of the world and it cannot be "decimated".

A bench of Justices A K Sikri and Ashok Bhushan observed that there were several other mosques in Agra and the non-residents could offer the customary prayers there.

The direction came when the apex court was hearing a plea challenging a January 24 order of Agra's Additional District Magistrate (City) barring non-residents from offering Friday prayers in the mosque on the ground of security of Taj Mahal.

"This (Taj Mahal) is one of the seven wonders of the world and we do not want this to decimate. We are dismissing it (plea)," the bench said.

At the outset, the bench asked "why for such prayers, should they go to the Taj Mahal?"
"We are not entertaining this (plea)," the bench said, adding, "there are other mosques also. They can offer their prayers there."