Excavation At Qutub Minar Over Temple Claims? What Centre Said
NDTV
It was reported that the ASI has been ordered to conduct excavations to ascertain whether it was built by Qutubuddin Aibak or Chandragupta Vikramaditya.
No such decision has been taken, Union Culture Minister GK Reddy said today while dismissing several media reports that excavation can be done in Delhi's iconic Qutub Minar complex. Sources had earlier said that the Ministry of Culture had issued instructions to get iconography of idols done at the complex, and excavation can be started at a distance of 15 meters from the mosque to the south of Qutub Minar. The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) was to start excavations and report to the Culture Ministry, they said.
However, Minister Reddy told news agency ANI that no such decision has been taken yet.
After Culture Secretary Govind Mohan visited the monument on Saturday, it was reported that the ASI has been ordered to conduct excavations to ascertain whether Qutub was built by Qutubuddin Aibak or Chandragupta Vikramaditya, The Indian Express reported, adding that the Ministry insists that it was a regular site visit by its officials and no such decision has been taken so far.
A Delhi court had last month directed the ASI not to remove two idols of Lord Ganesha from the Qutub Minar complex till further directions.
