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 eulogising 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 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 criticising Sambhaji Maharaj do not suit the stature of a member of the Assembly and is an insult to 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.