The Maharashtra Assembly on Tuesday suspended Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi for the remainder of the Budget session over his remarks praising Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb. He has been barred from entering the Assembly premises until the session concludes.
Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde responded to Azmi's suspension, saying, "Keeping in mind the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra, he has been suspended by the Speaker. Whoever will disrespect Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj will not be spared by Maharashtra. This is just the first step, he has just been given a signal that if he does anything like this again, Maharashtra will not forgive him."
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Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath spoke about Abu Azmi’s remarks in the UP Assembly Session. He said, “Remove that person from (Samajwadi) party and send him to UP, we will do his treatment. Does the person who feels ashamed about the heritage of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, instead of taking pride and considering Aurangzeb as his idol, have the right to stay in our country? Samajwadi Party should answer this.”
He further asked why the Samajwadi Party is unable to control its leaders. He said, “On one hand, you keep blaming Maha Kumbh...on the other hand, you praise a person like Aurangzeb, who destroyed the temples of the country...why can't you control that MLA of yours? Why didn't you condemn his statement?”