MUMBAI: Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abu Azmi questioned his suspension from the Maharashtra assembly during a press conference on Wednesday, asserting that he had merely repeated historical records.

“I was informed that a case has been registered against me. I said what I read in records. I only repeated what professors say about Aurangzeb and what is in the history. If repeating that is wrong, then what actions were taken against those who published these books?” Azmi said.
He further stated that he would seek clarification from the Speaker regarding the reasons behind his suspension.
Azmi was suspended from the ongoing budget session on Wednesday following his controversial remarks about Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. His statement, in which he reportedly claimed that India flourished under Aurangzeb’s rule, triggered a political storm, with leaders from the ruling alliance condemning him.
The controversy erupted after Azmi, who is also the Maharashtra president of the Samajwadi Party, claimed that India prospered under Aurangzeb, whose reign extended to Afghanistan and Myanmar. He further stated that Aurangzeb had built temples and was not a cruel ruler.
His remarks sparked widespread outrage, with Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde calling his statements “treasonous.”
Cases have been registered against Azmi under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at police stations in Mumbai and Thane. A Zero FIR was initially filed in Thane before being transferred to Mumbai.
The Shiv Sena has launched statewide protests, demanding Azmi’s suspension from the Maharashtra Assembly and the filing of sedition charges against him. The party has accused him of insulting the legacy of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, who was brutally tortured and executed by Aurangzeb.
The controversy has further escalated political tensions in Maharashtra, with the ruling parties strongly condemning Azmi’s statements, while the opposition has accused the government of suppressing free speech.