Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar has suspended Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi for the entire duration of the ongoing budget session following his controversial remarks about Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The suspension came after a proposal was introduced in the Maharashtra Assembly, citing Azmi’s statements as detrimental to the dignity of the House.
Azmi’s remarks, in which he defended Aurangzeb as not being a “cruel administrator” and claimed that the emperor “built many temples,” sparked widespread outrage. He further suggested that the conflict between Aurangzeb and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was about state administration rather than a Hindu-Muslim conflict.
In response to the backlash, Azmi clarified on Tuesday that his comments had been misinterpreted and offered to apologize if anyone was offended. He emphasized that his intention was not to insult historical figures such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or Sambhaji Maharaj. Azmi also claimed that the issue was being politicized, and expressed concern that the disruption was harming the people of Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, a zero FIR was filed against Azmi at Thane’s Naupada Police Station, later transferred to the Marine Drive police station in Mumbai. The FIR was lodged following a complaint from Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske.
Azmi’s remarks have drawn significant attention from the BJP, which has questioned the members of the INDIA bloc over their stance on glorifying Aurangzeb.