Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], March 4 (ANI): In response to Samajwadi Party Maharashtra MLA Abu Azmi's controversial remarks about Aurangzeb, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya on Tuesday accused the SP's leadership of being 'obsessed with Aurangzeb' and called the remarks 'unacceptable.'

Speaking to ANI, Maurya emphasized that the country would not tolerate any insult to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.

'All leaders of the Samajwadi Party are obsessed with Aurangzeb. Such statements are unacceptable. The country cannot accept the insult of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Akhilesh Yadav should take immediate action against Abu Azmi,' he said.

Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad criticized Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde over his reaction to SP leader and Maharashtra MLA Abu Azmi's remarks on Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, stating that Shinde lacks historical knowledge.

'Maharashtra's Deputy CM has no knowledge of history. If he knew history, he wouldn't have given such a statement. Abu Azmi's statements are not condemnable,' Prasad told ANI.

He further added,' Samajwadi Party always talks about integrating the society and safeguarding the Constitution. Maharashtra's DCM did not understand the essence of what Abu Azmi wanted to say, and that is why he is making baseless comments.'

Earlier, in an interaction with the media in the Marine Drive area on Monday, SP MLA Abu Azmi stated that Aurangzeb was a good administrator.

The Maharashtra Police has registered a case against Azmi under several sections of the Bharat Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) over his remarks on Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.

The case has been registered against Azmi at Wagle Estate Police Station under BNS sections 299, 302, 356(1), and 356(2) following the complaint from Shiv Sena MP Naresh Mhaske.

Mhaske arrived at the Wagle Estate Police Station on Monday to file a complaint against SP MP. Speaking to the media, Mhaske asserted that Abu Azmi has 'no right to stay in India.'

After the uproar over his remarks, Abu Azmi defended his remarks regarding Aurangzeb, saying that the Mughal emperor also destroyed Mosques along with temples.

Refuting the claims that Aurangzeb was 'anti-Hindu', Azmi stated that the emperor had 34 per cent of Hindus in his administration and many of his advisors were Hindus. He further added that there was no need to give a communal angle to the issue.

'If Aurangzeb had destroyed temples, he also destroyed mosques. Had he been against Hindus, 34 per cent of Hindus would not have been with him (in his administration), and his advisors would not have been Hindus. It is true that India was a golden sparrow during his rule. There is no need to give Hindu-Muslim angles to it,' Azmi told ANI.

The SP MLA further said that the struggle for power and property carried out by kings in the past 'was not religious'. Azmi maintained that he hasn't made any remarks against 'Hindu brothers'. (ANI)