Uproar in Maharashtra council over Sapkal's remark comparing Fadnavis to Aurangzeb

The state legislative council witnessed an uproar after ruling party legislators raised the issue of Sapkal's remark, and the proceedings were suspended for 10 minutes.

Mumbai: The comparison of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis with Mughal emperor Aurangzeb by Harshawardhan Sapkal rocked the Maharashtra Legislature on Monday, with the ruling Maha Yuti-NDA members calling for action against the state Congress President.

The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi-INDIA, however, continued to step up the attack against the Fadnavis dispensation.

On Sunday, Sapkal had said, "Aurangzeb was a cruel ruler ... Devendra Fadnavis is an equally cruel ruler as he always takes support of issues related to religion but does nothing about cases like the murder of sarpanch Santosh Deshmukh."

The BJP members have since mounted a major offensive against Sapkal, a former MLA from Buldhana, who last month took over as the state Congress chief.

Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, speaking in the Assembly on Monday, said that the remarks will be verified and action will be taken accordingly as per the law.

"Certain comments are made to please party seniors and grab eyeballs. But their vote share gets decreased and their true colours are seen. If such wrong remarks are made against persons in important positions, they will be verified and action will be taken," Pawar said.

Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, in the Council, assured that the government would seriously consider strict action against Sapkal for his "objectionable" remarks.

Sapkal, in a hurriedly convened news confrence, said that he had compared the work of Fadnavis with Aurangzeb.

"The gruesome murder of Santosh Deshmukh, the Swargate rape case, farmers suicide, atrocities against women paint a grim picture of Fadnavis' rule. In that context, comparing Fadnavis' governance to that of Aurangzeb highlights similarities of the regimes, not the individual themselves," he said.

In the Council, BJP MLC Pravin Darekar said, "Comparing the CM who is governing the state efficiently, to Aurangzeb is a highly condemnable act and an insult to Maharashtra."

Leader of Opposition in the Council, Ambadas Danve expressed his disapproval of personal attacks, but accused the government of having an "Aurangzeb-like mentality".