'Did Azmi make this statement to help BJP?': NCP-SCP MLA Rohit Pawar questions remarks on Aurangzeb
Mar 05, 2025

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 5 : NCP-SCP MLA Rohit Pawar on Wednesday condemned the remark made by SP MLA Abu Azmi, calling it "useless" and questioning the person's right to live in India for praising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
He also questioned whether it was intended to benefit the BJP.
Speaking to ANI, NCP-SCP MLA Rohit Pawar said, "It needs to be asked whether he made that statement to help the BJP...He made such a useless comment. It raises questions about whether he has the right to live in India. You are praising Aurangzeb...They are going to see 'Chhaava'. They took no action against Prashant Koratkar or Rahul Solapurkar, and they spoke against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Raje, and Babasaheb Ambedkar, but despite having all the power, no action was taken by the Govt. So, what right do they have to go and watch the film? I urge them to not watch the film until you nab Prashant Koratkar or Rahul Solapurkar..."
Pawar also pointed out the government's inaction against individuals like Prashant Koratkar and Rahul Solapurkar, who made derogatory comments about prominent figures such as Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Raje, and Babasaheb Ambedkar. He urged authorities to take action before allowing the individuals involved to watch the film.
He further responded to Azmi's defence, where he claimed that his statements on Aurangzeb were based on books. "If you're claiming that you read about Aurangzeb in books, maybe you've been reading the wrong books. What should we do about it? If some foreign author or someone with a different mindset has written something irrelevant, should we accept that as truth? If you are studying those kinds of books, then it's up to you. But whether that knowledge is real or not needs wisdom to judge," Pawar said.
The reaction came after SP MLA Abu Azmi, in an interaction with the media stated that Aurangzeb was a good administrator.
Azmi later claimed that his statements had been twisted and if he had hurt anyone, then he was ready to withdraw his statement.
"My words have been twisted. I have said what historians and writers have said about Aurangzeb Rahmatullah Alaih. I have not made any derogatory comment about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Maharaj or any other great men - but still if anyone has been hurt by my statement, then I take back my words, my statement. This issue is being made a political issue, and I think that closing the budget session of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly because of this is causing harm to the people of Maharashtra," he said.