The Samajwadi Party legislator’s suspension is till the end of the Budget session of the Maharashtra Assembly
MUMBAI – The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution by voice vote proposing the suspension of Samajwadi Party legislator Abu Azmi till the conclusion of the ongoing Budget Session.
The resolution, moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil, was passed over Abu Azmi’s “glorification” of Aurangzeb and also harming the “honour of the House” by defaming Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
BJP legislator Sudhir Mungantiwar suggested that Azmi should not be suspended just for the Budget Session but for his entire term.
The Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said that the Opposition would not tolerate the glorification of Aurangzeb and demanded that action should be taken against those insulting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
Thereafter, Speaker Rahul Narwekar put the resolution for a vote and it was passed amid the Opposition raising slogans like “Shivaji Maharaj ki jai.”
The passage of the resolution proposing Azmi’s suspension comes a day after he had retracted his statement that Aurangzeb should not be seen as a “cruel ruler but as an administrator.”
Both the Houses of the state legislature had adjourned on Tuesday for the day after members from the Treasury Benches took strong objection to Azmi’s statement.
Azmi on Monday told the media that “Aurangzeb was a great administrator and during his time, India was called ‘Sone ki Chidiya (golden bird)’. During Aurangzeb’s rule, India’s GDP was 24 per cent, due to which the British were attracted to the country and they came to Bharat.”
He further stated, “Wrong history is being shown. Aurangzeb built many temples. I do not consider Aurangzeb a cruel administrator. Also, the battle between Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb was a battle for state administration. That battle was not about Hindus and Muslims anywhere.”
Azmi’s comments were strongly opposed by the MahaYuti legislators. Shiv Sena lodged cases against Azmi in Marine Drive and Thane demanding action under the sedition law. – IANS
