Mumbai Court Schools Abu Azmi Over Aurangzeb Remark: 'Irresponsible Statement Can Spark Riots'

A Mumbai court cautioned SP MLA Abu Azmi to refrain from making irresponsible statements, as it could incite violence while granting interim bail in the case over his remark on Aurangzeb.

Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi was granted anticipatory bail by Mumbai court in Aurangzeb remark case.

Source : PTI

A Mumbai court has cautioned Samajwadi Party MLA Abu Azmi to exercise restraint during interviews as any "irresponsible" statement by a senior politician like him can spark riots. 

While granting anticipatory bail to Azmi on Tuesday, Additional Sessions Judge VG Raghuwanshi schooled the SP MLA to exercise restraint, reported PTI. 

The case was filed against him for his remarks praising Mughal ruler Aurangzeb. The offence concerns some statement made during an interview and it means police do not need custody or seizure of any article or interrogation, the court said in the order, a copy of which was made available on Thursday.

Word Of Caution By The Court 

In its judgment, the court noted that Azmi is a politician and businessman and it was improbable that he would run away from the course of justice, said the judge, adding it was a "fit case to exercise discretion” in his favour.

“Before parting with the order I would like to caution the applicant (Azmi) to exercise restraint on himself while giving interviews, having regard to prevailing circumstances. Any irresponsible statement can flare riots and create law and order problems,” the court said.

“I hope the applicant, being a senior politician, will understand his responsibility,” it added.

Row Sparked By Abu Azmi 

The Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar MLA had sparked a row after he praised Aurangazeb while talking to the media saying that during the Mughal ruler's reign, India’s borders reached Afghanistan and Burma (Myanmar).

“Our GDP (gross domestic product) accounted for 24 per cent (of world GDP) and India was called a golden sparrow,” he had claimed.

A case was booked against him last week under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) over his eulogising remarks. The legislator is also the Samajwadi Party's Maharashtra unit president, was booked under BNS sections 299 (deliberate and malicious act insulting the religious beliefs of any group of people), 302 (hurting someone's religious feelings) and 356(2)(defamation). 

The statement made by Azmi came in the backdrop of the blockbusted Hindi film 'Chhava', based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, who was captured by Aurangzeb’s commander in 1689.    

Legendary Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and his son Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj are highly revered figures in Maharashtra. 

Prosecution Opposes Bail Plea

During the hearing of the case, Azmi's lawyer submitted in the court that his statements were made to the press “spontaneously without any premeditated intention to insult any personality or hurt the religious feelings of any person”.

His plea was opposed by the prosecution which said that after the release of a movie, religious sentiments of people are volatile and in such circumstances the applicant made controversial statements in his interview.