"Whatever Abu Azmi said, it was with Akhilesh Yadav's consent," says UP Deputy CM Maurya

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 22 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Saturday targeted Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav over party leader Abu Azmi's remarks praising Aurangzeb.
"SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav says that he respects Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj even more than BJP. Then how come Abu Azmi, the man who praised Aurangzeb, is still in their party? This means that whatever Abu Azmi said, he said it with Akhilesh Yadav's consent.," he said.
Earlier, Abu 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.
After Azmi's statement, Mumbai Police registered a case under sections 299, 302, 356(1), and 356(2) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
On March 5, , Maharashtra Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar suspended Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi for the entire duration of the ongoing budget session over his remarks on Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
A proposal was brought in the Maharashtra Assembly 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.
SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav questioned the basis of the suspension and asserted that free thought cannot be curtailed by punitive measures, Yadav questioned the basis of the suspension and asserted that free thought cannot be curtailed by punitive measures,
Few days ago, Maharashtra Minister Nitesh Rane held Abu Azmi responsible for the violence in and said that it was a preplanned violence to defame the State government.
"Abu Azmi is responsible for this. He started this issue. This was a preplanned violence to defame the government. We will not spare those who raise their hands on our police personnel. Strict action will be taken in this matter," Rane told media persons. (ANI)