Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi has been suspended from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly until the end of the ongoing budget session for his remarks praising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The budget session will conclude on March 26.
On Wednesday, State Minister Chandrakant Patil moved the motion for Azmi’s suspension, which was passed by a voice vote. Lawmakers from the treasury benches argued that Azmi’s comments were an insult to Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
Azmi, who represents the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency in Mumbai, claimed that during Aurangzeb’s rule, India’s borders extended to Afghanistan and Burma (now Myanmar). He also stated that India’s GDP accounted for 24% of the world’s economy at the time and was referred to as the “golden sparrow.”
When questioned about the conflict between Aurangzeb and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Azmi called it a political battle. His remarks triggered a sharp backlash, with ruling party members demanding his suspension and even calling for sedition charges against him.
Azmi Defends Himself, Then Retracts Remarks
Following the uproar, Azmi defended his statements, saying they were based on historical accounts. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), he claimed his words had been misinterpreted.
“I have not made any derogatory comments about Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Maharaj, or any national icons. Still, if anyone is hurt by my remarks, I take them back,” he wrote.
Despite his clarification, the assembly went ahead with his suspension, marking yet another controversy in Maharashtra’s legislature.
This story was originally published in theobserverpost.com.