Daijiworld Media Network- Mumbai
Mumbai, Mar 4: Maharashtra Samajwadi Party (SP) chief and MLA Abu Azmi has landed in controversy after defending Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, asserting that he was "not a cruel leader." His remarks have sparked political outrage, leading to an FIR being registered against him.
Azmi made the statement while addressing reporters in Mumbai at the commencement of the Maharashtra Assembly session. Responding to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's recent comparison of Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee with Aurangzeb, Azmi argued that the Mughal emperor was being unfairly portrayed.
Following his remarks, Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske filed a complaint at Thane's Wagle Estate Police Station, resulting in an FIR being registered under sections 299, 302, 356(1), and 356(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Azmi stated, "Aurangzeb got several temples built. In Varanasi, he saved a Hindu girl child from a priest who had an evil eye on her. He had the priest trampled by elephants."
He further defended his stance, claiming, "I don't consider Aurangzeb a cruel ruler. During that era, power struggles were political, not religious. Aurangzeb's army had many Hindus, just as Chhatrapati Shivaji's army had several Muslims."
Additionally, Azmi remarked that during Aurangzeb's reign, India’s territorial boundaries extended up to Afghanistan and that the Mughal emperor was being wrongly vilified through a religious lens.
His comments have sparked a political storm, with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde leading the criticism. Strongly condemning the remarks, Shinde demanded an apology, stating, "He must apologise for this because Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was a patriot and a true nationalist. Aurangzeb was responsible for the brutal 40-day torture and execution of Sambhaji Maharaj. Glorifying Aurangzeb’s rule is a serious offence, and for this, Abu Azmi must apologise. By speaking against a patriot, he has positioned himself as anti-national."
The controversy continues to escalate, with opposition leaders and public figures calling for strict action against Azmi for his remarks