New Delhi [India], March 4 (ANI): Samajwadi Party MP Awadhesh Prasad on Tuesday 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.'

On Monday, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde condemned Samajwadi Party leader and Maharashtra MLA Abu Azmi's reported remarks about Aurangzeb, calling them 'wrong and unacceptable.' Shinde further said that Azmi should be charged with 'treason.'

'His statement is wrong and should be condemned. Aurangzeb tortured Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj for 40 days; calling such a person good is the biggest sin, and hence, Abu Azmi should apologise. Our CM has taken this matter seriously. He should be charged with treason,' Shinde told reporters.

Meanwhile, 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'.

'The Kings back then used to struggle for power and property, but it was nothing religious. He (Aurangzeb) ruled for 52 years, and if he was really converting Hindus into Muslims - imagine the number of Hindus that would have converted. In the 1857 rebellion, when Mangal Pandey started the fight, it was Bahadur Shah Zafar who supported him,' Azmi said.

'This country will run by the constitution, and I haven't said a word against Hindu brothers,' he added. (ANI)