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Amidst the hype over the "gold hunt" in UP's Unnao district, Culture Minister Chandresh Kumari Katoch today said the ASI is not digging for gold but trying to locate weapons used by Indians in the 1857 mutiny.
The 1000 tonne gold treasure is yet to be found in Daundiya Khera village even after a week of digging in which the ASI team has reached 1.5 meter below the ground.
With allegations against ASI that it was following a seer's dream, the minister maintained they began the excavation on the basis of a Geological Survey of India report indicating presence of alloy buried below the ground.
"I like to tell the people accusing me that they are trying to put hindrance in a routine work of excavation which normally starts from October 1 and lasts till Monsoon.
"We are at the moment carrying out excavation in 148 different areas all over the country. Why are they picking up only this site because somebody has said that he has a dream. Our work started on October 1. Let anyone presume whatever they want," Katoch told PTI in an interview.
On October 18, a team from Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) began excavation work at the fort of Raja Rao Ram Bux Singh in Unnao to dig out a hidden gold treasure suspected to be buried there.A seer had dreamt about the buried gold and reportedly told union minister Charan Das Mahant about it.
Asked whether she is hopeful of finding 1000 tonnes gold there, the minister said the alloy can be anything.
"We have a report from GSI saying that there is an alloy in this area. Alloy can be anything. I cannot say whether it is gold, silver or steel.
"There can be guns or idols. We are trying to locate the weapons used by Indians in the mutiny which we don't have any in our museum or stores. We are trying to find something which is connected to the mutiny and used by the Indians," she emphasised.
