'Wasn't my statement': Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi clarifies on Aurangzeb remark, says ‘was reacting to Assam CM’

Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi on Tuesday said ‘it wasn’t my statement', clarifiying and addressing the uproar that erupted after his remark on Aurangzeb. Talking to reporters, the SP MLA said that he was merely "reacting to Assam CM comparing Rahul Gandhi to Aurangazeb".

Abu Azmi, the Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra president, had said that during Aurangzeb's reign, India's border reached Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar).

What did Abu Azmi say about Aurangzeb?

"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 the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency in Mumbai. Asked about the fight between Aurangzeb and Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Azmi had termed it a political battle.

The remarks created outrage and Shiv Sena supporters had staged protests against Azmi.

The issue also rocked the state assembly, where members of the ruling parties demanded Azmi's suspension from the House.

Abu Azmi clarifies statement on Aurangzeb

Stating that he was reacting to Assam CM and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma comparing Leader of the Opposition (LoP) and Congress MP Rahul Gandhi with Aurangzeb, the Samajwadi Party MLA asked, “Many of the historians have written about Aurangzeb, and I have repeated those things only. These books are still not banned; no action was taken against those historians, so why has this issue been created when I said what has already been written?”

Azmi also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of ‘increasing the vote bank’ by talking against Muslims in India. “Many things are going on against Muslims in the country. The more they (BJP leaders) talk against Muslims, the more their vote bank increases,” Azmi told reporters.

Azmi took back his statement on Aurangzeb citing threats against him.

"The people sitting in the government are spreading hatred against me. I am receiving plenty of abuse, and if something happens to me, it's the government's responsibility. I am taking my statement back not because it was wrong but because people have been incited against me wrongfully," the SP MLA added.

Shiv Sena Announces Statewide Protest

The Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena will stage a statewide protest against statements “disrespecting Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj”, the party announced on Tuesday. The party has also demanded that a sedition case be filed against Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi and that he be suspended from the Assembly for glorifying Aurangzeb.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde spoke in the State Legislative Assembly on Tuesday and demanded that a case of sedition be registered against Abu Azmi for “praising” Aurangzeb.

Mumbai Police starts probe

The Mumbai Police has started an investigation into a case against Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi over his remarks “eulogising” Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, officials said on Tuesday.

An FIR was registered on Monday against Azmi by police in neighbouring Thane on a complaint by Lok Sabha member Naresh Mhaske for allegedly attempting to hurt religious feelings.

The Thane police subsequently transferred the FIR to Mumbai, where a fresh case was registered at Marine Drive police station on Tuesday against Azmi under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, an official said.