Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday announced that Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abu Azmi will be arrested for his controversial remarks on Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, further escalating political tensions in the state. Speaking in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, Fadnavis asserted that action against Azmi was inevitable, as his statements had sparked widespread outrage.
“Abu Azmi will be put behind bars—100%,” Fadnavis declared in response to Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve’s question on why the SP MLA had not been jailed yet. The chief minister also turned the debate on its head by questioning the Shiv Sena (UBT) over Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s portrayal of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in Discovery of India. “Do you have the courage to oppose Nehru for what he wrote about Shivaji Maharaj?” Fadnavis challenged.
Political Showdown Intensifies
The controversy has led to a war of words between the ruling BJP and opposition parties, with each side attempting to capitalize on the issue. Uddhav Thackeray, former CM and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief, went a step further, demanding that Azmi be permanently suspended from the Maharashtra Assembly.
“This should not be a temporary suspension. It must be permanent. His remarks are unacceptable,” Thackeray asserted.
The controversy over historical figures continues to fuel Maharashtra’s political discourse, with parties weaponizing the past to gain political ground. While Fadnavis has assured strict action against Azmi, the debate has now shifted towards larger ideological clashes between BJP, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Samajwadi Party.
