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Maharashtra Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Abu Asim Azmi has written to Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, requesting the revocation of his suspension. Azmi asserted that he was unfairly targeted by the media, which he accused of "misrepresenting" his statement on Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.
According to ANI, Azmi maintained that he was not at fault in the matter and that his comments were taken out of context. In his letter to the Speaker, he stated, "The media tried to malign me by misrepresenting my statement. I humbly request that my suspension be withdrawn as I am not at fault in this matter."
Azmi clarified that he had been approached by media representatives who sought his reaction to Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's remarks, in which Sarma invoked Aurangzeb while criticising Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. He explained that journalists followed him outside the assembly hall on March 3 and asked him about the Assam CM's statement. "In this context, I quoted Meena Bhargava's article and mentioned that Aurangzeb had helped temples," Azmi said.
The Maharashtra SP chief further stated that he had not made any reference to Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj in a negative manner and had always shown respect for him. "No statement has been made about Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. I have great respect for him. My image has been tarnished by attributing to me words which I did not speak," the letter read.
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As per ANI, Azmi argued that his remarks about Aurangzeb were rooted in historical facts and that during Aurangzeb's reign, India was considered a prosperous nation. He asserted that the conflicts between Aurangzeb and Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj were not religious in nature but were driven by power and territorial disputes.
"During Aurangzeb's time, India's borders extended to Burma (Brahmadesh) and Afghanistan. People possessed a significant amount of gold, and the country witnessed a prosperous era. I stated that Aurangzeb was a capable administrator based on historical facts. The conflicts between Aurangzeb and Chhatrapati Shivaji or Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj were not about religion but about power and land. I do not believe in caste or religious discrimination," Azmi stated in his letter.
Azmi reiterated his reverence for Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, emphasising that he had never made any objectionable remarks about them. "I have not made any offensive statement about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. I deeply respect both these great leaders," he concluded.
(With inputs from ANI)
