SP MLA Abu Azmi condemns Maharashtra cabinet's name change decision, says minorities being sidelined

After the Maharashtra cabinet on Wednesday approved the changing of names of two districts and an airport, Samajwadi Party Maharashtra president and MLA Abu Asim Azmi condemned the decision and said that the political parties were trying to sideline minorities.

"Today Uddhav Thackeray government took the decision that Aurangabad will be renamed Sambhaji Nagar and Osmanabad will be renamed Dharashiv. Be it BJP or MVA - that is walking on crutches - they want to sideline Muslims," said Azmi.

He also said that the people who were being supported for being secular were making these decisions.

"I am sad that the ones we are supporting, who had said that they will now be secular after being with the wrong people for 30 years, are doing this on the last day," he added.

Azmi reminded the big names of the western state of his party's support and said that the ruling party sidelined the minorities.

"I would like to tell Sharad Pawar and Sonia Gandhi that government is existing with our support. If Government takes such a step, where will we go?.I would like to tell Sharad Pawar, Ajit Pawar, Ashok Chavan, Balasaheb Thorat, what do we do? It's that Muslims are being sidelined. I condemn," he concluded.

The decision of changing names came amid the ongoing tussle between the Shiv Sena and the rebel MLAs.

The Maharashtra cabinet on Wednesday approved a name change for two districts including Aurangabad and Osmanabad.

The western district Aurangabad's name has now been changed to Sambhaji Nagar while Osmanabad to Dharashiv.

The Navi Mumbai airport's name will also be changed to DB Patil international airport.

The renaming came amid the Uddhav Thackeray government has been trying to merge in roots and stand a strong ground in to carry forward the government in Maharashtra.

The Shiv Sena had been trying long to change the name of 'Aurangabad' and much to the home party's delight and the opposition's raising brows, the name change came as surprise to many.

( With inputs from ANI )

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