Samajwadi leader Abu Azmi gets pre-arrest bail in cases over Aurangzeb remarks

Suspended Maharashtra MLA and Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi was granted anticipatory bail by a Mumbai court on Tuesday in two hate speech cases related to his comments praising Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.

Azmi's counsel argued that the MLA had been quoted out of context and that the allegations did not indicate he had made the statements deliberately or with malicious intent to outrage religious sentiments.

A major controversy recently erupted after Azmi, an MLA from Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar, claimed that India prospered under Aurangzeb, who ruled from 1658 to 1707. He also claimed that the Mughal ruler had built several temples and that films



today are distorting his image.

His remarks sparked a sharp backlash from the BJP and Hindu organisations, who demanded action against Azmi for glorifying a ruler they described as intolerant, a murderer of Hindus, and a destroyer of temples.

Multiple cases were filed against Azmi for insulting religious beliefs (BNS Section 229), intentionally hurting religious sentiments (BNS Section 302), and defamation (BNS Section 356 (1)(2)).

Advocate Mubin Solkar, appearing for Azmi, argued that the FIRs had been registered at the behest of Azmi's political opponents, who had quoted the Samajwadi Party leader out of context.