- विज्ञापन -
Mumbai: Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abu Asim Azmi will appear before the investigating officer on Wednesday regarding his controversial statement on Aurangzeb, according to Mumbai Police.
Initially, it was reported that Azmi would not appear due to being out of the country, but it has since been clarified that he will attend. The Mumbai Sessions Court had previously ordered Azmi to appear for questioning in connection with the remarks he made about Aurangzeb. The court set March 12, 13, and 15 between 11 am and 1 pm as the dates for his appearance.
On Tuesday, Azmi was granted anticipatory bail by the Mumbai Sessions Court on a solvent surety bond of Rs 20,000 in connection with his alleged controversial statement about Aurangzeb made in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. Azmi was also instructed not to tamper with evidence.
The controversial remarks made by Azmi about Aurangzeb in the Legislative Assembly sparked opposition from leaders of all parties. Following the statement, Mumbai Police registered a case under several sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including sections 299, 302, 356(1), and 356(2).
In a letter to Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar, Azmi accused the media of misrepresenting his statement and tarnishing his image. He requested the withdrawal of his suspension, stating that he was not at fault. Azmi explained that he had been followed by reporters who asked him about Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s comparison of Rahul Gandhi to Aurangzeb. Azmi quoted an article by Meena Bhargava and clarified that he had only mentioned Aurangzeb’s help to temples and had not made any comments about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj.
Azmi defended his statements as historical facts, emphasizing that the conflict between Aurangzeb and Chhatrapati Shivaji was over power and land, not religion. He stressed that he had great respect for both Shivaji and Sambhaji Maharaj and reiterated that he did not believe in caste or religious discrimination.
