Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi, who was suspended from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly for allegedly insulting Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, has written a letter to Speaker Rahul Narvekar requesting the revocation of his suspension. Azmi clarified that he never made any derogatory remarks about either Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, and claimed that his statement regarding Mughal ruler Aurangzeb was misrepresented by the media.
In his letter, Azmi stated, “The media tried to malign me by misrepresenting my statement. I humbly request that my suspension be withdrawn as I am not at fault in this matter.” He further explained that the conflicts between Aurangzeb and the Maratha rulers were not religious but rooted in power and territorial disputes.
Azmi also spoke on the historical context, stating, “During Aurangzeb’s time, India’s borders extended to Burma and Afghanistan. The country was prosperous, with significant gold reserves. I referred to Aurangzeb as a capable administrator based on historical facts. The conflict between Aurangzeb and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was not about religion but about power and land. I do not believe in caste or religious discrimination,” he added.
SP MLA Abu Azmi said that he did not think Aurangzeb was cruel and that he, on the contrary, built temples for Hindus during his reign in the latter half of the 17th century. Subsequently, he was suspended from the Maharashtra Assembly by the Speaker of the House for the rest of the session.