Samajwadi Party legislator Abu Azmi’s comment that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb was a great administrator and during his time, India was called “Sone ki Chidiya”, has sparked a massive controversy. The SP MLA’s comment came during the first day of Maharashtra assembly’s budget session. He was immediately berated by Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who demanded that a sedition case be filed against him.

Terming Abu Azmi a “traitor”. Mr Shinde said, “Praising Aurangzeb – who killed Chhatrapati Shivaji’s son Sambhaji — as a good administrator is a great sin”.

“It is not enough to condemn such a statement. A case of sedition should be registered against Abu Azmi… He should apologise,” he added.

Hours later, two police cases were lodged against him – one by Shiv Sena activists and the other by the party’s Thane MP.

Mr Azmi, the MLA from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, though, stood by his comment.

“Wrong history is being shown,” he later told the media.

“Aurangzeb built many temples. I do not consider Aurangzeb a cruel administrator. Also, the battle between Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj and Aurangzeb was a battle for state administration. That battle was not about Hindus and Muslims anywhere,” he added.

Then he said that during Aurangzeb’s time, India’s border extended to Afghanistan. 

“At that time, our GDP was 24 per cent… India was called Sone Ki Chidiya,” he claimed.

Mr Azmi’s comment, though, did not go down well with the ruling or the opposition parties, especially in the wake of the Vicky Kaushal-starrer ‘Chhaava’ that depicted the torture of Sambhaji Maharaj.

Mr Shinde said Sambhaji Maharaj was subjected to unspeakable atrocities by Aurangzeb for 40 days. His eyes were gouged out, fingers ripped off and tongue cut. Then he was skinned alive.

(With agencies)