'I said what historians claim': SP MLA Abu Azmi apologises for Aurangzeb remark but with justification

NEW DELHI: Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi on Tuesday offered an apology for his recent remark praising Mughal emperor Aurangzeb. He, however, justified his statement saying he only said what the historians and the writers have already said about the Mughal ruler and that it was in no manner against Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj or Sambhaji Maharaj adding that his "words were twisted".
"My words have been twisted. I have said what historians and writers have said about Aurangzeb Rahmatullah Alaih. I have not made any derogatory comment about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Sambhaji Maharaj or any other great men - but still if anyone has been hurt by my statement, then I take back my words, my statement," he said in a video posted on X.
"When I came out of the Assembly yesterday, the press asked me about a statement of Assam CM comparing Rahul Gandhi to Aurangzeb. I don't know how he was, I only know what many historians said. Many historians have hailed him. There has been no ban on their books. I just repeated what they said," he said.
"This issue is being made a political issue, and I think that closing the budget session of the Maharashtra legislative assembly because of this is causing harm to the people of Maharashtra," he added.

Azmi's statement had stroked a controversy after he had implicated that India flourished under Aurangzeb's reign.
"Our GDP accounted for 24 per cent (of the world GDP)) and India was called a golden sparrow (during his regime)," he had said, adding that the country's border reached Afghanistan and Myanmar.
Following this, Mumbai Police launched an investigation into Azmi's remarks after an FIR was filed on Monday based on a complaint by Lok Sabha MP Naresh Mhaske, alleging that Azmi attempted to hurt religious sentiments. The FIR was later transferred to Mumbai, and a fresh case was registered at the Marine Drive police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, an official said..