'Aurangzeb was a noble emperor': AIMIM MLA defends Aurangzeb, criticizes BJP over suspension of Azmi

Patna: Amid controversy over Samajwadi Party 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 Assembly.

Iman accuses BJP of 'politics of hatred'

Iman criticised the BJP, accusing the party of using divisive politics for electoral gain. "BJP has no other work but to have political gains through politics of hatred," he remarked.

Aurangzeb praised as a 'noble emperor'

Defending Aurangzeb, Iman called him a "noble emperor" who did not misuse public funds. "Aurangzeb was a noble emperor. He earned a livelihood by stitching caps. He didn't use taxpayers' money on himself. He was buried here. He didn't loot and leave like the British but he served this country. He unified India, stretching it from Afghanistan to Burma (Myanmar), and made it 'Akhand Bharat'. He treated both temples and mosques equally," Iman stated.

Iman questions the controversy

Iman questioned the motive behind the controversy, asking why such debates were being ignited. "So, why such a controversy is being stoked?" he asked. He also criticised the suspension of Abu Azmi, calling it unconstitutional. "The action (against Abu Azmi) is unconstitutional," he asserted, urging the Supreme Court to take suo-motu cognisance of the matter.

BJP MLA condemns Azmi's remarks

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP MLA Satish Upadhyay condemned Abu Azmi's stance, alleging that some individuals in the country regard invaders as their ideals. "There is a section in the country and Abu Azmi is one of them who consider invaders as their ideals. These are the people who consider those as ideals who came from outside and attacked our country. Not standing with those who made real sacrifices for the country is a reflection of their political mentality," Upadhyay said.

Azmi suspended over Aurangzeb remarks

On Wednesday, Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar suspended Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi for the entire duration of the ongoing budget session over his remarks on Aurangzeb. Azmi had reportedly stated that Aurangzeb was not a "cruel administrator" and that he had "built many temples". He also claimed that the battle between the Mughal emperor and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was about state administration rather than a Hindu-Muslim conflict.

(With ANI Inputs)