Chetan Bhagat may not have plenty of admirers for his literary prowess, but he’s been one of the most successful Indian writers in the recent times. The author has also been famous for courting controversies because of his support for the RSS and the right-wing Hindutva ideologies.
It was, therefore, no surprising that when The Washington Post carried a report critical of Yogi Adityanath government’s decision to drop Taj Mahal from the heritage list, Bhagat took offence to the editorial.
Washington Post’s headline had said, “Is India neglecting the Taj Mahal because it was built by Muslims?” This appears to have irked Bhagat, who took to Twitter to express his displeasure.
His tweet said, “Stop painting India anti-Muslim! 1)Taj is monument of love 2)gets more attention vs other beautiful places 3) Indian neglect is secular.”
Stop painting India anti-Muslim!
1)Taj is monument of love
2)gets more attention vs other beautiful places
3) Indian neglect is secular. https://t.co/AkhcZXkmjx— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) October 4, 2017
His other tweet said, “Taj amazing, but over marketed compared to say beautiful Hampi or Ellora.Saying it’s neglected coz Muslim irresponsible of @washingtonpost”
Taj amazing, but over marketed compared to say beautiful Hampi or Ellora.Saying it’s neglected coz Muslim irresponsible of @washingtonpost
— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) October 4, 2017
The writer then chose to carry out a Twitter poll, asking his followers if they also saw the Taj Mahal as a Muslim monument.
He wrote, “Did you ever, as an Indian, saw the Taj as a ‘Muslim’ monument (as @washingtonpost is saying it’s being neglected because it is Muslim) (sic)”
Did you ever, as an Indian, saw the Taj as a 'Muslim' monument (as @washingtonpost is saying it's being neglected because it is Muslim)
— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) October 4, 2017
Twitter users were quick to point the glaring grammatical error in his last tweet. Bhagat was reprimanded and corrected for wrongly using ‘saw’ even after his tweet started with ‘Did.’
Here are what they wrote;
Did you ever see..not saw dear best selling author @chetan_bhagat. Your hinglish as good as @myogiadityanath https://t.co/8Inp2yuN6s
— Vinod Sharma (@VinodSharmaView) October 4, 2017
You are a celebrity writer Mr Bhagat, how did you write wrong English? It should be "see" & not "saw".
— D. Pd. (@Diwakar22242464) October 4, 2017
Did you ever see…. Not saw
— Udita Ch (@zara2000) October 4, 2017
Did you ever, as a sane Indian, saw the Chetan Bhagat as a 'writer' ?
— CP (@cherypick) October 4, 2017
may be i am wrong to point out grammar midtakes but you are a english writer.."did you ever see" not "saw"
— sreenivasan (@srinipadmanaban) October 4, 2017
Did you ever SEE as a writer that 'Did you ever saw' is awful grammar?
— Raju Pokhrel (@RajuPok06638771) October 4, 2017
Did u ever SEE ,not SAW Mr best selling so called writer !! And if Monuments can be Hindu or Muslim den FYI it is a TOMB of A Muslim Couple
— Dark Knight (@thefinaltrumpet) October 4, 2017