Taj Mahal to reopen for night viewing from Saturday
Agra(PTI): After remaining closed for over a year for night viewing, the Taj Mahal will open from August 21 for visitors who want to explore the marble monument under moonlight, officials said on Friday.
Night viewing of the monument had closed on March 17, 2020 during the first lockdown due to COVID-19.
ASI Superintending Archaeologist (Agra Circle) Vasant Kumar Swarnkar told PTI that night viewing will be allowed on August 21, 23 and 24 as the monument is closed every week on Friday and the lockdown is in effect on Sunday.
He said there are three time slots for visitors. From 8:30-9 pm, 9-9:30 pm and from 9:30-10 pm.
"In every slot, 50 tourists would be allowed as per guidelines of the Supreme Court," he added.
"The tickets can be booked a day in advance from ASI office's counter on 22 Mall Road in Agra," Kumar said.
Rajeev Saxena, vice-president of the Tourism Guild of Agra, said it was a good step, but it would not attract weekend travellers until the restriction of lockdown on Sunday and curfew after 10 pm was not lifted.
"Tourists want to enjoy nightlife of the city, they don't want to be packed in their hotels after 10 pm," he said.
A government approved tour guide, Monika Sharma, appreciated the move and said it was a ray of hope for the revival of Agra's tourism sector.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Tamil Nadu: Cong stages statewide protests against guv over govt formation
Chennai (PTI): TNCC on Friday launched a statewide protest against Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar for his refusal to invite the TVK to form the government despite it emerging as the single largest party in the recently concluded Assembly elections.
Leading a spirited demonstration at Anna Salai in Chennai, AICC in-charge for Tamil Nadu, Girish Chodankar, and TNCC President K Selvaperunthagai accused the Raj Bhavan of acting as a "puppet" of the BJP-led Centre and subverting democratic norms.
Speaking to reporters at the protest site, Chodankar launched a scathing attack on the Governor's delay in government formation.
"The Governor has a mission, but he is following (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah. That is his problem," Chodankar charged.
ALSO READ: UP govt sacks five doctors, orders action against 16 health officials for negligence
When asked about mounting speculation regarding a potential "outside support" arrangement between traditional rivals DMK and AIADMK to keep the TVK-Congress combine out of power, Chodankar said, "Let them come together. Let everyone get exposed before the people of Tamil Nadu.”
According to him, if that happens people will know who is really secular and who is ready to stand by them in this situation.
"I am confident that many secular parties are not ready to see BJP or RSS rule enter Tamil Nadu and will definitely oppose it," said Chodankar.
Addressing his party's recent exit from the DMK-led alliance to support actor-turned-politician Vijay's TVK, Chodankar dismissed allegations of "backstabbing" by his party's former ally.
"In a democracy, people are the masters. We have respected the people's mandate," he stated.
Selvaperunthagai demanded that the Governor immediately invite the single largest party to form the government.
"The Governor must implement the Constitution. That is our only demand, and that is why we are protesting today," Selvaperunthagai said.
The Congress, which recently snapped its long-standing ties with the DMK, has aligned itself with the TVK, which won 108 seats. The party cadres held demonstrations across all district headquarters, raising slogans against the Governor and the Union government, while demanding that the democratic mandate of the 2026 elections be respected without further delay.
The protests come amid a tense political climate in the state, as the DMK and AIADMK -- who both suffered significant losses to the TVK -- reportedly explore tactical manoeuvres to navigate the hung assembly.
TVK with 108 seats has the support of Congress' five MLAs but the party is still short of five legislators to form government.
