Mumbai/Thane: Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi on Monday stirred a controversy by claiming that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was not a cruel ruler. “Wrong history is being shown. Aurangzeb built many temples. I do not consider him a cruel ruler. Also, the battle between Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb was for state administration…not between Hindus and Muslims,” said the legislator from the Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar assembly seat.
Deputy CM Ekanth Shinde and Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske condemned Azmi’s statements and demanded that he be charged with sedition, while Shiv Sena workers gathered at Wagle Estate police station in Thane, pressing for immediate action. Mhaske told the media: “Azmi is creating communal tension, which is an act of treason. A sedition case must be filed against him and he should be disqualified as MLA.” As the situation grew tense, police assured the sloganeering Sena workers that they would examine the matter and file the case under the proper legal ambit. At the time of going to press, a police officer said that the FIR registration process is underway.
Azmi made the statements while referring to the “inaccurate” depiction of history in the Bollywood movie ‘Chhava’. He claimed that Aurangzeb should not be viewed simply as a cruel ruler, but rather as a great administrator. “I believe that during the time of Aurangzeb, India’s border was up to Afghanistan. At that time, our GDP was 24% of global GDP…India was called a golden bird…Also, I do not believe that the battle between Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb was about religion,” he said.
Calling Azmi’s statements “wrong and unacceptable,” Shinde said: “Glorifying Aurangzeb is very unfortunate. Azmi should be charged with sedition.”
The deputy CM further said Aurangzeb was responsible for the 40-day torture of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and honouring him was a grave insult to Maharashtra’s legacy. “Calling Aurangzeb good is the biggest sin. Azmi should apologise immediately. Our chief minister has taken this matter seriously,” Shinde said.
Mumbai/Thane: Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Asim Azmi on Monday stirred a controversy by claiming that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was not a cruel ruler. “Wrong history is being shown. Aurangzeb built many temples. I do not consider him a cruel ruler. Also, the battle between Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb was for state administration…not between Hindus and Muslims,” said the legislator from the Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar assembly seat.
Deputy CM Ekanth Shinde and Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske condemned Azmi’s statements and demanded that he be charged with sedition, while Shiv Sena workers gathered at Wagle Estate police station in Thane, pressing for immediate action. Mhaske told the media: “Azmi is creating communal tension, which is an act of treason. A sedition case must be filed against him and he should be disqualified as MLA.” As the situation grew tense, police assured the sloganeering Sena workers that they would examine the matter and file the case under the proper legal ambit. At the time of going to press, a police officer said that the FIR registration process is underway.
Azmi made the statements while referring to the “inaccurate” depiction of history in the Bollywood movie ‘Chhava’. He claimed that Aurangzeb should not be viewed simply as a cruel ruler, but rather as a great administrator. “I believe that during the time of Aurangzeb, India’s border was up to Afghanistan. At that time, our GDP was 24% of global GDP…India was called a golden bird…Also, I do not believe that the battle between Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb was about religion,” he said.
Calling Azmi’s statements “wrong and unacceptable,” Shinde said: “Glorifying Aurangzeb is very unfortunate. Azmi should be charged with sedition.”
The deputy CM further said Aurangzeb was responsible for the 40-day torture of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and honouring him was a grave insult to Maharashtra’s legacy. “Calling Aurangzeb good is the biggest sin. Azmi should apologise immediately. Our chief minister has taken this matter seriously,” Shinde said.