A First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi at Wagle Estate Police Station in Thane following accusations that he praised Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, officials confirmed on Monday.
The criminal complaint was lodged after Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde demanded treason charges against Azmi for his controversial remarks defending the 17th-century ruler. The case has intensified political tensions in the state, with Shiv Sena members rallying at the police station demanding immediate action.
"Praising a tyrant who tortured Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and destroyed countless temples is an insult to our history and heroes," said Shinde during a press conference on March 3. "Such statements are wrong and unacceptable, and those making them must face legal consequences."
Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske, who filed the complaint, accused Azmi of deliberately creating communal tension through his statements. "This is nothing short of treason," Mhaske told reporters outside the police station.
The controversy erupted after Azmi claimed Aurangzeb was not a cruel ruler, describing him instead as a capable administrator who expanded India's borders from Afghanistan to Myanmar while overseeing a period when India's GDP represented 24% of the world's total. Azmi also characterized Aurangzeb's conflict with Sambhaji Maharaj as political rather than religious.
These remarks directly contradict the widely accepted historical narrative in Maharashtra, where Aurangzeb is viewed as a tyrant who brutally tortured Sambhaji Maharaj&mdash;reportedly gouging out his eyes, removing his fingers, and subjecting him to other horrific tortures before execution.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has reportedly taken the matter seriously, according to Shinde, while other political figures including Aaditya Thackeray of Shiv Sena (UBT) have joined in condemning Azmi's statements.
The controversy comes amid heightened sensitivity around historical figures following the recent release of "Chhaava," a film portraying Sambhaji Maharaj's life and struggles against the Mughal Empire.
Police officials have confirmed that they are investigating the complaint and will proceed according to law.
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Maharashtra DyCM Eknath Shinde and SP MLA Abu Azmi

Political storm erupts as Abu Azmi's remarks spark FIR, demands for treason charges intensify

Maharashtra MLA Abu Azmi Faces FIR Over Aurangzeb Praise

Political storm erupts as Abu Azmi's remarks spark FIR, demands for treason charges intensify

March 4, 2025 | 07:46 IST