Mumbai: Days after sparking controversy over his remarks on Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and MLA from Mumbai’s Mankhurd Shivajinagar, Abu Asim Azmi, on Tuesday, took to social media to pay tribute to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj on his death anniversary.
Sharing a graphical image of Sambhaji Maharaj, Azmi wrote, “Humble tribute to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the second Chhatrapati of Swarajya, a valiant warrior, and a defender of Dharma, on his martyrdom day.”
Azmi’s post comes just days after he faced severe backlash from both the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for praising Aurangzeb, the Mughal emperor who ordered the execution of Sambhaji Maharaj on March 11, 1689.
The controversy erupted when Azmi, while responding to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s comparison of Rahul Gandhi and Mamata Banerjee to Aurangzeb, claimed that Aurangzeb was not a “cruel administrator” and had “built many temples.” He further argued that the conflict between Aurangzeb and the Marathas was about governance rather than religion.
Following intense criticism, Azmi later apologized, stating that his words were twisted and that he had no intention of disrespecting Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Maharaj, or any other historical figure. However, he was suspended from the Maharashtra Assembly until the budget session.
On Saturday, Azmi wrote to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, requesting the revocation of his suspension, insisting that he was unfairly targeted. “The media tried to malign me by misrepresenting my statement, so I humbly request that my suspension be withdrawn as I am not at fault in this matter,” he said.
