Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Wednesday reacted sharply to the suspension of party MLA Abu Azmi from the Maharashtra Assembly over his recent controversial remarks praising Mughal ruler Aurangzeb.
In a post on X, Akhilesh slammed the action against Abu Azmi, saying, "If the basis of suspension starts getting influenced by ideology, then what difference will remain between freedom of expression and slavery."
Defending the SP MLA, he said, "Whether it is our MLAs or MPs, their fearless wisdom is unmatched. If some people think that by 'suspension' one can put a rein on the tongue of truth, then this is the childishness of their negative thinking."
"Today's free-thinking says, we don't want BJP!" he added.
Akhilesh Yadav's response came hours after Abu Azmi was suspended from the House till the end of the Session.
The suspension came a day after Abu Azmi apologized for his remarks on Tuesday, stating that his words had been misinterpreted. In a video statement, Abu Azmi clarified that he was merely citing historical accounts and had no intention of disrespecting any revered figures.
However, soon after his apology, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde stated that the SP MLA would not be forgiven and "his statement will cost him".
