Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 5: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on Samajwadi Party (SP) and its Maharashtra MLA Abu Azmi for his controversial remarks about Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Addressing the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, CM Yogi condemned Azmi’s praise for Aurangzeb and demanded his removal from the party.
“Samajwadi Party us (Abu Azmi) kambhakt ko nikalo party se, UP bhej do, baaki upchaar hum apne aap karwa lenge,” CM Yogi said, which translates to: “Remove that person from the party and send him to Uttar Pradesh, we will handle his treatment here.”
The UP CM accused the SP of hypocrisy, stating that while they criticize the Mahakumbh, one of their own leaders praises Aurangzeb, a ruler known for destroying temples in India. He asked, “The person who feels ashamed about the heritage of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, instead of taking pride and considers Aurangzeb as his idol, does he have the right to stay in our country?” CM Yogi further questioned the Samajwadi Party’s silence on the matter, calling for an explanation on why they did not condemn Azmi’s statement.
CM Yogi also took the opportunity to praise the successful and well-organized Mahakumbh in Prayagraj, calling it a memorable event that attracted people from across the world. He highlighted how the event received praise from global media and was recognized as an invaluable cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2019. CM Yogi emphasized the significance of the Mahakumbh and stated that, despite criticisms from various political parties, the government focused on fulfilling its duties.
Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding Azmi’s remarks led to his suspension from the Maharashtra Assembly. The Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly, Rahul Narwekar, suspended the SP MLA for the entire duration of the ongoing budget session after his statements were deemed objectionable. Azmi had claimed that Aurangzeb was not a cruel ruler and had even built many temples. He also downplayed the conflict between Aurangzeb and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, suggesting it was a political battle over administration rather than religious in nature.
On Tuesday, Azmi clarified that his words had been “twisted” and stated he was ready to retract his statement and apologize if it had hurt sentiments. However, he also claimed that the issue was being politicized, which led to further controversy. Azmi’s remarks prompted the registration of a zero FIR at the Naupada Police Station in Thane, which was later transferred to Marine Drive Police Station in Mumbai. The FIR was filed based on a complaint from Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske.