Maharashtra won't spare person disrespecting Shivaji Maharaj: Eknath Shinde on Azmi's suspension from Assembly

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 6 (ANI): SP MLA Abu Azmi was suspended from the Budget session of the Maharashtra Assembly, keeping in mind the people's sentiments, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Wednesday.
"Keeping in mind the sentiments of the people of Maharashtra, he has been suspended by the Speaker," Shinde told reporters.
"Maharashtra will not spare anyone who disrespects Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj. This is just the first step; he has just been given a signal that if he does anything like this again, Maharashtra will not forgive him," he added.
Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar suspended Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi for the entire duration of the ongoing budget session on Wednesday over his remarks on Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. A proposal was brought in the Maharashtra Assembly on Wednesday against Azmi's remarks.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister Chandrakant Patil said in the House that Azmi's objectionable statement had hurt the dignity of the House, leading to the proposal to suspend his membership for this session, which the Speaker passed.
Azmi had reportedly said that Aurangzeb was not a "cruel administrator" and "built many temples". He added that the battle between the Mughal emperor and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj was for state administration and not about Hindu and Muslim.
Abu Azmi expressed his disappointment after being suspended for the entire duration of the ongoing Maharashtra budget session over his remarks on Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
Abu Azmi said, "To ensure that the House functions, I spoke about withdrawing my statement. I did not say anything wrong. Still, there is a controversy and proceedings of the House are being stalled. To ensure that the House functions and some work is done during Budget Session...I withdrew the statement that I made outside.
Meanwhile, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray slammed Akhilesh Yadav for supporting Azmi, saying, "Let him object if he wants to."
"Let him object if he wants to. The entire Maharashtra has raised an objection against him. If he wants, he should make him contest from there (UP). He does not know the truth," he told reporters.
Earlier, Akhilesh Yadav criticized the suspension of party leader Abu Azmi, alleging that ideological influence on such actions undermines democratic values. (ANI)