ASI To Carry Out Excavations at Qutub Minar? Check Culture Minister’s Reply

New Delhi: Union Culture Minister G K Reddy on Sunday denied media reports that his ministry has ordered the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to carry out excavations at the Qutub Minar in Delhi.

“No such decision has been taken,” Reddy said.

Reddy’s clarification came after media reports emerged that the ASI has been ordered to carry out excavations to ascertain whether the UNESCO World Heritage Site was built by Qutubuddin Aibak in the 12th Century or by Chandragupta Vikramaditya of the Gupta Dynasty in the 5th Century.

Culture Secretary Govind Mohan visited the monument on Saturday, which led to the speculations.

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. On Saturday, Mohan, accompanied by senior officials and historians, visited the adjoining Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque, where the idols in question are now placed.

Some days ago, former ASI regional director Dharamveer Sharma was quoted as saying that the Qutub Minar was a “sun tower” built by Chandragupta Vikramaditya.