Kumar Bahukhandi
Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi – Photo: ANI (File)
Maharashtra: Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi has been suspended from the budget session of the Maharashtra Assembly. He claimed that he did not insult any national hero and this suspension is not justified.
Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and MLA Abu Azmi has been suspended from the budget session of the Maharashtra Assembly. However, Azmi claimed that he did not insult any national hero. On being suspended from the state’s budget session, Azmi said that it is not fair.
On his suspension from the assembly over his statement on Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, Abu Azmi said, ‘I never said anything like this. I can never even think of saying anything against a national hero. Assam Chief Minister (Himanta Biswa Sarma) compared (Congress leader) Rahul Gandhi and (SP president) Akhilesh Yadav to Aurangzeb. When I was asked about Aurangzeb’s character, I said that I was not born in the era. Whatever Satish Chandra, Rajiv Dixit, Ram Puniyani, Avadh Ojha, Meena Bhargava have written, I can only say that. I only said that India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was very good and at that time they also donated to temples. Whatever I said is written. I did not say anything on my own.’
He further said, now it is being said that I have insulted national heroes, but how is this an insult? The SP leader said, I have said many times in the assembly that whoever insults national heroes should be given a minimum punishment of ten years. But I have been suspended for the entire (budget) session. I think this is not fair.
I take back the statement, getting death threats: Abu Azmi
On the statement praising Aurangzeb, he said, I take back what I said, because it has caused a lot of turmoil. People are calling me and using abusive language. I am not picking up the phone, I am getting death threats. Now the (Assembly) Speaker has suspended me. I just want the assembly to function. That is why I said that I take back my statement. We have a lot of issues. People of our area are not getting water. Roads-sewers are bad and there are problems in schools and hospitals. Why are we not discussing that? Why waste everyone’s time on this? That is why I took back my words.
‘Why no action being taken against Koratkar and Solapurkar’
He said, Prashant Koratkar and Rahul Solapurkar have insulted (Shivaji Maharaj). They are still in Maharashtra. Why are they not being arrested? Whatever I have said is on record. If what I said is wrong then what action is being taken against those who have written this and keep giving speeches? If someone is doing wrong then the government should file a case against them. If I repeat the words of historians then how can a case be filed against me? I will see what can be the way out of this. All this (controversy) is happening only because the BJP government is trying to take advantage of all this.
