Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Thursday said Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi will be arrested for his controversial remarks on Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. While targeting the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, the chief minister asserted that the SP MLA would be held.
On the question of Ambadas Danve, Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council - why has Azmi not been put in jail till now?, Fadnavis cornered Thackeray's Shiv Sena by asking why it did not oppose Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, who insulted Shivaji Maharaj. Does Thackeray's Sena have the courage to oppose Nehru, he asked.
"Chairman sir (Azmi) will be put in jail. 100 per cent will be put in jail. You (Danve) should have taken the correct information. I ask, will you protest against what Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru has written in the book Discovery of India? Will you protest? Will you protest against what Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru has written against Shivaji Maharaj in the book Discovery of India? Do you have the courage? We will not tolerate the insult of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The lion who was ready to die for the country and religion was the son of Shiva. There was only one great and powerful king," Fadnavis said in the House.
Thackeray demands permanent suspension of Azmi from Assembly
In another development, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief and former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray criticised Azmi for his controversial remark, demanding his permanent suspension from the state Assembly. "He should be permanently suspended. It should not just be for the Budget Session, the suspension should be permanent," he added.
SP MLA Azmi suspended from assembly for the ongoing session
Earlier, the SP MLA was on Wednesday suspended from the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly till the ongoing budget session ends on March 26, over his remarks eulogizing Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. Crying injustice, Azmi said the action against him was taken despite him retracting his remark.