NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday took a jibe over the excavation work being undertaken in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal, stating that he believes there is a ‘Shivling’ underneath the chief minister’s residence too.
“Since the excavation work is underway, I believe that there is a Shivling at the Chief Minister’s residence too. We have faith that the Shivling is there. We should all prepare for its excavation. The media should go first we will join after that,” said Yadav during a press conference at the party office in Lucknow, drawing a round of laughter.
The SP chief’s comment came on Sunday as it marked the ninth day of excavation work underway in Sambhal district of Uttar Pradesh.
Earlier on Saturday, an official of the Chandausi municipality in Sambhal district said that nearby encroachments would be cleared to trace out an ancient stepwell. The stepwell was discovered after the reopening of a Shiv-Hanuman temple in the district, which had been closed for 46 years.
“Till Friday, we kept on digging the stairs and the sides, but a well has been found on the road premises, exactly at the centre. It seems that the structure is all around this well,” the official said.
The official said that structures constructed nearby, which have encroached upon the structure, shall be cleared. He emphasised that as a protected historical monument, no individual has been given the right to encroach upon an archaeological relic or carry out construction activities over it.
“After finding such a structure that has archaeological importance, it will be cleared from all sides. If the excavation is done using a tractor or JCB machine, it might get damaged. Therefore, by employing manual labour, the debris is being taken out using shovels and spades, which is why it is taking time. The Archaeological Survey of India is constantly studying the area and the excavation is being done under its guidance,” he said.
The Samajwadi Party is vocal against the excavation work underway in Sambhal district. The aggressiveness was also witnessed during the winter session of Parliament, where MPs of SP staged protests over the Sambhal violence.