"Put forth our demand to suspend Abu Azmi from House": Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde
Mar 04, 2025

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 4 : Amidst the uproar over Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi's remarks on Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that they have put forth their demand to suspend the latter from the House.
"We have condemned his statement. His statement will cost him, and the people of Maharashtra will not forgive him... He will be suspended; we have put forth our demand to suspend him (from the House)," CM Shinde told reporters.
Earlier today, Abu Azmi said that his words had been twisted and that he was ready to take back his statement and apologise if sentiments were hurt.
"My words have been twisted. I have said what historians and writers have claimed about Aurangzeb Rahmatullah Ali," Azmi said.
"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," Azmi said in a video on his X.
The MLA and Samajwadi Party chief on Maharashtra also said that the issue was being politicised.
"The 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," Azmi said.
Earlier, a zero FIR was registered against Azmi in the Naupada Police Station of Thane and was transferred to the Marine Drive police station in Mumbai in connection with his remarks on Aurangzeb.
The FIR was lodged based on a complaint lodged by Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske.
Azmi, in his comments at an interaction with mediapersons in the Marine Drive area, had stated that Aurangzeb was a good administrator.
The BJP latched on to Azmi's remarks and questioned INDIA bloc members as to why they were trying to glorify Aurangzeb.