Samajwadi Party (SP) senior leader and MLA Abu Azmi has received significant relief in a controversial case related to his praise of Aurangzeb. A Mumbai court granted him anticipatory bail on Tuesday.
Mumbai: A Mumbai court granted anticipatory bail on Tuesday to Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Abu Azmi in a case concerning his remarks praising the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. The court granted this relief after hearing Azmi's arguments in the case filed against him. In his petition, Azmi stated that his comments were not intended to insult any individual or hurt religious sentiments. Considering this argument, Additional Sessions Judge V.G. Raghuvanshi approved his anticipatory bail plea.
While accepting Azmi's anticipatory bail plea, Additional Sessions Judge V.G. Raghuvanshi of Mumbai ordered him to furnish a bail bond of ₹20,000. However, the court also imposed certain conditions that are mandatory to comply with.
What is the full story?
Azmi recently praised Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, claiming that during his reign, India's borders extended to Afghanistan and Myanmar, and the Indian economy constituted 24% of the global GDP at that time. He also asserted that India was referred to as the "Golden Bird" during that period.
His statement ignited a political firestorm, with opposition parties in Maharashtra accusing him of inciting religious feelings. A case was registered against him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Suspension from the Assembly and Political Controversy
Following Azmi's statement, the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly suspended him until March 26. The BJP and other Hindutva organizations demanded strict action against him.
Abu Azmi's Defense
In his defense presented to the court, Azmi's lawyer argued that his client did not intend to hurt anyone's religious sentiments or insult any particular community. He described the comments as general remarks made in a historical context and claimed they were politically misrepresented.
While the anticipatory bail provides Azmi with relief, the political impact of this controversy is far from over. The issue may cause further turmoil in Maharashtra's political landscape in the coming days.
