Amid the political storm over Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abu Azmi’s remarks on Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, AIMIM Bihar president and MLA Akhtarul Iman has come out in strong support of Azmi following his suspension from the Maharashtra Assembly.
Slamming the BJP for what he called the “politics of hatred,” Iman accused the ruling party of exploiting religious controversies for political gain. “BJP has no other work but to have political gains through politics of hatred,” he said.
Defending Aurangzeb, Iman described the Mughal ruler as a “noble emperor,” emphasizing his contributions to India. “Aurangzeb earned a livelihood by stitching caps. He didn’t use taxpayers’ money on himself. He was buried here, unlike the British who looted and left. He unified India, stretching it from Afghanistan to Burma, making it ‘Akhand Bharat.’ He treated temples and mosques equally,” Iman asserted.
Questioning the controversy surrounding Azmi’s remarks, Iman asked, “Why is such a debate being stirred up?” He further condemned Azmi’s suspension, calling it “unconstitutional,” and urged the Supreme Court to take suo-motu cognizance of the matter.
Meanwhile, BJP leaders launched a sharp counterattack. Delhi BJP MLA Satish Upadhyay accused Azmi and his supporters of glorifying invaders. “There is a section in the country, and Abu Azmi is one of them, who consider invaders as their ideals. They admire those who attacked our nation instead of honoring real freedom fighters,” Upadhyay told ANI.
Azmi was suspended from the Maharashtra Assembly for the entire budget session after Speaker Rahul Narwekar took action against his remarks. Azmi had stated that Aurangzeb was not a “cruel administrator” and had built many temples, insisting that his battle with Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was about governance, not religion.