New Delhi, March 5 Samajwadi Party (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), the two key allies of INDIA Bloc, looked divided on their stance pertaining to the row over controversial statement of Abu Azmi, the SP MLA from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar and his subsequent suspension from the Maharashtra Assembly.
Abu Azmi’s praise for Aurangzeb created a political storm in Maharashtra politics with all parties rebuking him for glorying the Mughal invader and insulting the legacy of Shivaji Maharaj. The SP legislator was suspended from the Assembly on Wednesday, following persistent demands for his sacking.
SS (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, speaking to press, supported his suspension from the Assembly, rather he went a step ahead and said, “Azmi should be suspended not just from the ongoing session but for all the Assembly sessions.”
On the other hand, SP supremo rallied support in favour of its embattled leader Abu Azmi and termed his suspension as ‘childish move’.
SP chief Akhilesh Yadav took to X to defend Abu Azmi and wrote, ” If the basis of suspension begins to be influenced by ideology, then what difference will remain between freedom of expression and dependence? Be it our legislators or parliamentarians, their fearless wisdom is unparalleled. If some people think that suspension can put a rein on the tongue of truth, then this is the childishness of their negative thinking.”
He also accused BJP of crushing the free voice.
When Uddhav Thackeray was questioned by scribes about Akhilesh’s objection, the SS (UBT) brushed it aside and said that the whole state is agitated with Azmi’s remarks.
“Let him raise objection. If he is worried, he could take him to Uttar Pradesh and make him contest from there. He doesn’t know the truth,” Uddahv said in a terse reply.
Earlier in the day, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath also launched a scathing attack on the Samajwadi Party, accusing it of glorifying Aurangzeb.
Abu Azmi, the SP’s Maharashtra president had claimed that during Aurangzeb’s reign, India’s borders extended to Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar) and that the country’s GDP accounted for 24 per cent of the world’s total. He had also said that Aurangzeb was not cruel.
Following outrage for the past few days, the Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday passed a motion suspending him until March 26.
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