Maharashtra: Abu Azmi got into trouble for his statement on Aurangzeb and said, ‘… then one has to be afraid’

SP MLA Abu Azmi, who got into trouble for making a statement praising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, reached Marine Drive police station on Wednesday (12 March). After marking his presence in the police station, Azmi said that he has to be afraid.

He said, “We do not need to record our statement. I went to court and got bail so that the police does not send me and arrest me. The court asked me to mark my presence in the police station for three days.”

Abu Azmi said, “A case is registered without doing anything, so one has to be afraid. Terrorists say, what terror have I spread? I have been suspended from the assembly for the entire session. When the government will do this, then I will have to proceed with caution.”

What did Azmi say about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj?

He said that this is not the first time I have praised Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. I have praised him in the assembly as well. I am not afraid of anyone except Allah.

SP MLA Abu Azmi was suspended from the current session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on March 26 for his remarks praising Aurangzeb. The BJP and Shiv Sena said that praising Aurangzeb was an insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his warrior son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, as both are revered figures in Maharashtra.

What did Abu Azmi say?

On these allegations, Abu Azmi had said that I just quoted historians. In fact, the SP leader had said, “During Aurangzeb’s reign, India’s border extended up to Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar).”

He had said, “Our GDP (gross domestic product) was 24 percent (of world GDP) and India was called the golden bird (during Aurangzeb’s reign).”