'Respect Vande Mataram but cannot read it SP MLA Abu Azmi lands in new row

The Maharashtra Legislative Assembly witnessed a noisy protest by BJP MLAs, leading to the adjournment of the session, following a remark made by Samajwadi Party legislator Abu Azmi about the slogan 'Vande Mataram'. 

Azmi expressed his objection to chanting the slogan, stating that it was unacceptable to him and that he believed in only one god. “I respect 'Vande Mantram' but I can't read it because my religion says we can't bow down to anyone except Allah”, Azmi said. The BJP MLAs strongly objected to this statement, causing a ruckus in the assembly.

Speaker Rahul Narwekar urged the legislators to calm down, highlighting the irrelevance of Azmi's comments to the topic at hand and emphasizing the need to focus on the scheduled discussion. However, the protest persisted, leading to a ten-minute adjournment of the house.

In response to Azmi's statement, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticized the SP MLA, questioning their stance on Vande Mataram and the alleged anti-India sentiment. Poonawalla highlighted the irony of the situation, mentioning that while the Samajwadi Party is part of I.N.D.I.A -- the new avatar of the UPA, its MLA refuses to say Vande Mataram.

This is not the first time Azmi has faced controversy over his remarks. In the past, he objected to actor Ranveer Singh's nude photoshoot and made controversial comments about incidents of mass molestation in Bengaluru. Azmi had also taken a dig at filmmaker Karan Johar's decision to opt for surrogacy, sparking further debate.

Azmi's statements continue to generate controversy and spark discussions surrounding various social and cultural issues.

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• Abu Azmi
• Maharashtra Assembly
• Vande Mataram