Mahayuti members demand suspension of MLA Azmi from assembly for praising Aurangzeb

Mumbai, Mar 4 (PTI) Members of the ruling Mahayuti on Tuesday demanded suspension of Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi from the Maharashtra assembly for eulogising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

The uproar over the issue led to House being adjourned twice.

Soon after the House proceedings began, the ruling alliance members claimed Azmi was a descendent of Aurangzeb, who tortured Maratha king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and brutally killed him.

Atul Bhatkalkar (BJP) demanded that Azmi be booked for treason and suspended from the assembly for the budget session.

Shiv Sena minister Gulabrao Patil also demanded action against Azmi.

Sudhir Mungantiwar (BJP) demanded that Aurangzeb's grave be demolished.

Sensing the belligerent mood of the members, speaker Rahul Narwekar adjourned the House for 10 minutes.

Later, when the House reassembled, Industries Minister Uday Samant (Shiv Sena) reiterated the demand that Azmi be suspended from the House and be booked for treason.

"We cannot tolerate praise of a person who harassed Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and tortured his son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj," he said.

Amid the uproar, Shiv Sena (UBT) member Bhaskar Jadhav described what was going on in the House as "drama".

Following the din, the speaker again adjourned the House for 30 minutes.

Earlier, on Monday, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde demanded that Azmi be charged with treason for eulogising Aurangzeb who brutally tortured Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.

An FIR was also filed on Monday against Azmi in Thane, the political turf of the Deputy CM, on a complaint of Lok Sabha MP Naresh Mhaske for attempting to hurt religious feelings.

Azmi, who is the Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra president, 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 the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar constituency in Mumbai.

Asked about the fight between Aurangzeb and Sambhaji Maharaj, Azmi had termed it a political battle.

A recent Hindi film, 'Chhaava', has documented the bravery and sacrifice of Sambhaji Maharaj. PTI MR GK

Source: PTI