Mumbai: Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi was on Wednesday suspended from the Maharashtra legislative assembly till the ongoing budget session ends on March 26, over his remarks eulogizing Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
Crying injustice, Azmi said the action against him was taken despite him retracting his remark.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath asked the Samajwadi Party to take a stand on Azmi’s remarks, demanding that it must expel him for glorifying the Mughal ruler.
Maharashtra minister Chandrakant Patil moved the motion of suspension of Azmi from the House for the remainder of the session’s term.
Members of the treasury benches said Aurangzeb’s praise amounted to an insult of Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
The motion was passed by a voice vote.
“Azmi’s comments praising Aurangzeb and criticizing Sambhaji Maharaj do not suit the stature of a member of the assembly and is an insult of the democratic institution of the legislative assembly,” Patil said.
Azmi, president of the Samajwadi Party’s state unit, had said that during Aurangzeb’s reign, India’s border reached Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar).
“Our GDP accounted for 24 per cent (of the world GDP) and India was called a golden sparrow (during his regime),” claimed the MLA from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency in Mumbai.
Asked about the fight between Aurangzeb and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Azmi had termed it a political battle.
His comments rocked both houses of the state legislature on Tuesday, with members of the ruling side demanding his suspension and that he be booked for treason.
Azmi said his remarks were twisted.
“Whatever I have said about Aurangzeb is something that has been stated by historians and writers. I have not made any derogatory remarks against Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Maharaj or any national icons. Still, if anyone is hurt by my remarks, then I take back my statements and comments,” he said on Tuesday.
In a video statement released by his office on Wednesday, Azmi asserted he had not said anything wrong, but retracted the remark, which he made outside the assembly, to ensure the House functions. ‘Despite this I was suspended,’ he said.
Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena head Eknath Shinde on Tuesday led the attack on Azmi both in the legislative council and assembly.
“Azmi is purposely insulting Shivaji Maharaj and Sambhaji Maharaj. Sambhaji Maharaj’s bravery and Aurangzeb’s cruelty will give goosebumps to people,” Shinde had said.
The Mughal emperor not only killed Hindus but also people from other religions, he had said.
Shinde dubbed Azmi a “traitor” and said he had no right to sit in the House.
The recent Hindi film, ‘Chhaava’, has documented the bravery and sacrifice of Sambhaji Maharaj, he said.
“See the torture Sambhaji Maharaj endured for 40 days. Aurangzeb asked him to change his religion,” Shinde said.
Slamming Azmi, Yogi Adityanath asked the Samajwadi Party to bring Azmi to Uttar Pradesh and said, “Uttar Pradesh knows well how to take care of such people”.
“You (SP) must decide your position (on the Abu Azmi row),” Adityanath said in the UP legislative council following which the Samajwadi Party members started making remarks.
“Make an official announcement and expel that wretched person from your party. Then send him to Uttar Pradesh and we will take care of the rest,” Adityanath said.
Adityanath said, “A person, who feels ashamed of the legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, but considers Aurangzeb his hero, does he even have the right to live in India?”
He accused the Samajwadi Party of double standards.
“On one hand, you criticize the Kumbh and on the other, you glorify Aurangzeb — a ruthless, fanatical ruler who destroyed temples and crushed India’s faith. What is stopping you from taking action against this leader?” he asked.
Adityanath insisted that the Samajwadi Party must publicly condemn the statements and expel Azmi from the party.
“Why does the Samajwadi Party not disown him? SP should immediately denounce his remarks and remove him from the party,” he said.
Adityanath said, “Either call him to a public gathering and make him clarify or send him to Uttar Pradesh. We do not take long to deal with such people here.”
He accused the Samajwadi Party of glorifying Aurangzeb while disregarding India’s cultural and spiritual heritage.
“It is unfortunate that the Samajwadi Party considers Aurangzeb as its ideal. Even Aurangzeb’s father, Shah Jahan, wrote in his autobiography that he wished no one would ever have such a wretched son,” Adityanath said .
He criticized the Samajwadi Party for “deviating from” the principles of socialist leader Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, who upheld India’s cultural unity despite being a political rival of the Congress.
“No civilized Muslim today names their son Aurangzeb because they know that a person’s deeds define them. ‘Yatha naam tatha kaam’ (as the name, so the deed),” he added.
The Shiv Sena’s Pune unit staged a protest against Azmi on Wednesday, saying his remarks praising Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb were an insult to Maharashtra’s pride.
Aurangzeb’s atrocities against Hindus and his attempts to impose religious conversion cannot be glorified and Azmi should be booked on charges of treason, said Shiv Sena city president Pramod Nana Bhangire, who led the protest near Sarasbaug in Pune.
