Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi on Tuesday issued an apology after his remarks praising Mughal ruler Aurangzeb sparked controversy. In a video message, Azmi claimed that his words were "twisted" and clarified that he merely repeated what historians had written about the Mughal emperor.
"Yesterday, on March 3, when the assembly was over, TV reporters told me that the Assam Chief Minister compared Rahul Gandhi’s image to Aurangzeb. I had read what historians like Satish Chandra, Audrey Truschke, Dr. Rajiv Dixit, Dr. Ram Punia, Ava Doja, and Meena Bhargava wrote about Aurangzeb—that he had given money to temples. I just repeated what they said," Azmi explained.
मेरे शब्दों को तोड़-मरोड़ कर दिखाया गया है। औरंगज़ेब रहमतुल्लाह अलेह के बारे में मैंने वही कहा है जो इतिहासकरों और लेखकों ने कहा है। मैंने छत्रपति शिवाजी महाराज, संभाजी महाराज या अन्य किसी भी महापुरषों के बारे में कोई अपमानजनक टिपण्णी नहीं की है - लेकिन फिर भी मेरी इस बात से कोई… pic.twitter.com/k7PY0ICe3b
— Abu Asim Azmi (@abuasimazmi) March 4, 2025
Dismissing allegations that he insulted Hindu icons, the SP MLA said, "I would never imagine insulting a figure like Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, or Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar. Why is my statement being scrutinized so much? If anyone is hurt by my statement, then I take it back."
