New Delhi: The BJP was giving full protection to 'Gau Rakshaks' and Prime Minister Narendra Modi was controlling hate and fake news being circulated in the country, senior advocate Prashant Bhushan said here on Monday.

In his address at the launch of a report on how 'Jharkhand Police sabotaged probe into two murders by cow vigilantes', he said that such 'hate' crimes mostly happen in BJP-ruled states and the states have given protection to the cow vigilantes.

He termed BJP's Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as a "goonda" and a "history sheeter" and referring to recent communal riots in West Bengal and Bihar, alleged that the Modi government was behind it.

Senior journalist Paranjoy Guha Thakurta said that politicians and administration were helping people behind lynchings and urged people to fight against the "poison" being spread in the country.

The report 'Hanged by Gau Rakshaks Denied Justice by the State' prepared by Ajith Sahi, a civil liberties activist, states that the FIR was delayed by 17 hours, police did not include relevant sections of the IPC in the FIR, and a BJP leader named by eye witnesses was yet to be questioned, among others as examples of police failure.

The report is on the murder of Mazloom Ansari (32) and Imtiaz Khan (12), while transporting eight oxen on foot in the early hours of March 18, 2016 in Latehar of Jharkhand.

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Lucknow (PTI): Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday raised questions over maintenance of the Taj Mahal in Agra and attacked the Yogi Adityanath government saying it should be a "living and active" example, not just a "monument".

Yadav, who shared a viral video in which a plant could be seen sprouting from the dome of the Taj Mahal, said the monument might develop cracks due to the roots.

In a post on X, he said, "The BJP government and its dormant departments have completely failed to maintain the Taj Mahal, the wonder that attracts tourists from all over the world."

Yadav went on to say, "There is a possibility of rusting of the metal of the urn on the main dome. Water is dripping from the main dome. There is news of plants growing in the dome. If the roots of trees like these grow, then the Taj Mahal may crack."

He also highlighted problems of monkey menace and water logging in the Taj Mahal complex.

"The Taj Mahal complex has become a sanctuary for monkeys. There is a problem of waterlogging in the Taj Mahal complex. The tourists are worried whether they should admire the Taj Mahal or deal with the problems," Yadav said, adding due to all these reasons, the country's image is tarnished at the global level. ⁠

Last week, the main dome of the Taj witnessed water seepage due to incessant rains but officials said there was no damage to the arched roof.

Yadav asked where crores of rupees of funds that come for the maintenance of Taj Mahal are going.

"The government should be a living and active example, not just a monument," he added.