Mumbai Court Reprimands Abu Azmi Over Aurangzeb Remarks, Urges Caution in Interviews

Court schools Azmi over Aurangzeb remarks- Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi was reprimanded by a Mumbai court over the Aurangzeb comment case and warned to exercise restraint during the interview. The court said that any irresponsible statement made by a senior leader like him can incite riots. Additional Sessions Judge VG Raghuvanshi gave several instructions to Azmi while granting anticipatory bail on Tuesday in the case filed against the SP MLA for his remarks praising the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.

What did the court say in the order
The offence relates to certain statements made during an interview and this means that the police are not required to seize anything or take custody for interrogation, the court said in the order, a copy of which was made available on Thursday. Noting that Azmi is a politician and businessman and it is unlikely that he will flee from the path of justice, the judge said he should exercise discretion. Before passing the order, I would like to caution the applicant (Azmi) to exercise restraint while giving interviews keeping in view the prevailing circumstances.

Irresponsible statement can incite riots
The court said, any irresponsible statement can incite riots and create law and order problems. I hope that the applicant, being a senior politician, will understand his responsibility. Azmi, an MLA representing the Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar constituency of the metropolis, was booked last week under the Indian Justice Code (BNS) for his remarks praising the medieval era Mughal emperor.

Azmi had praised Aurangzeb
Azmi has been booked under sections 299 (intentionally and maliciously insulting the religious beliefs of a group of people), 302 (hurting religious feelings of any person) and 356 (2) (defamation) of the BNS. Azmi, who is the president of the Maharashtra unit of the Samajwadi Party, while speaking to the media had said that during the reign of Aurangzeb, India's borders reached Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar). Our gross domestic product (GDP) was 24 percent and India was called the golden bird. When asked about the fight between Aurangzeb and Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, Azmi had termed it a political fight.

Comment about Chhava
These comments were made in the backdrop of the blockbuster Hindi film 'Chhava' which is based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj who was captured by Aurangzeb's commander in 1689. Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and his father the great Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj are highly revered figures in Maharashtra.

Azmi's argument in the court
Seeking anticipatory bail, Azmi told the court that his statements were made before the press without any premeditated intention to insult any personality or to hurt the religious feelings of any person. Azmi's lawyer Mubin Solkar had submitted before the court that the FIR did not disclose any offence against the SP MLA. Solkar had argued, the allegations do not show that he made the statements deliberately and with a malicious intent to hurt religious feelings.