Abu Azmi
 |
Abu Asim Azmi | |
|---|---|
| Maharashtra State President of Samajwadi Party | |
| Assumed office 1995 | |
| Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly | |
| Assumed office 13 October 2009 | |
| Preceded by | constituency created |
| Constituency | Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar |
| Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha | |
| In office 2002–2008 | |
| Constituency | Uttar Pradesh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 8 August 1955 Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Political party | Samajwadi Party |
| Relations | Ayesha Takia (daughter-in-law) |
| Children | Farhan Azmi (Son) |
| Residence(s) | Bandra, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Alma mater | Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University |
| Occupation | Politics, Business |
| Profession | Manpower Consultants, running Hotels, Director In Companies And Investment In Firms |
| Website | www |
Abu Asim Azmi (born 8 August 1955) is a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly. He represents the Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Constituency, Mumbai. He belongs to the Samajwadi Party.[1]
He is the President of the Maharashtra state branch of the Samajwadi Party.[2] He currently represents Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar of Mumbai Suburban District in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.
Politics
[edit]Azmi entered politics and in 1995, under his leadership, the Samajwadi Party (SP) won two seats in the Maharashtra state assembly. In 2004, entering his first election cycle, Azmi was defeated by Yogesh Patil of the Shiv Sena from Bhiwandi constituency. From 2002 to 2008, Azmi was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Rajya Sabha.
In the 2009 Lok Sabha election, Azmi was defeated by Gurudas Kamat (Congress). However, in 2009, Azmi was elected to the Maharashtra Assembly where he served for two terms. He successfully contested the seats of Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar and Bhiwandi (East), and under rules limiting successful candidates to one region, he chose Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar.
Azmi is the only MLA from Maharashtra to have won from 2 seats simultaneously in one election.[citation needed]
Azmi has secured three consecutive wins in his Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Constituency from 2009 to 2024.
Members of Legislative Assembly
[edit]Key
| Election | Assembly Constituency | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar | Abu Azmi | Samajwadi Party | |
| 2014 | ||||
| 2019 | ||||
| 2024 | ||||
Controversial comments on rape
[edit]Following the trial in the Shakti Mills gang rape and in the aftermath of the comments made by then SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, Azmi told Mid-Day, "Any woman if, whether married or unmarried, goes along with a man, with or without her consent, should be hanged. Rape is punishable by hanging in Islam. But here, nothing happens to women, only to men. Even the woman is guilty. Girls complain when someone touches them, and even when someone doesn't touch them. It becomes a problem then ... If rape happens with or without consent, it should be punished as prescribed in Islam." He also said, "See, I don't know what context he said it in. But, at times, the wrong people are awarded the death penalty. Boys do it in josh (Hindi: excitement), but what can I say in this? The death sentence should be given. I won't speak against Islam."[3] Azmi's comments were widely criticized in India.[4] His daughter-in-law, actress Ayesha Takia, expressed embarrassment and denounced Azmi for his comment.[5]
In 2017, he commented on a Bengaluru molestation case saying that the molestation was bound to happen since women consider nudity as fashion. He added that women should not roam around in the dark barring when they are accompanied by male family members.[6][7]
Azmi again drew headlines during a debate on raising legal age of marriage for women for suggesting men to not be along with their daughters at home as the "devil" may descend on them.[8] He was reported saying “If my girl/daughter or sister is alone at home, then, my culture tells me to not stay alone with them. The shaitan (devil) might take over your spirits….we have been witnessing many cases of rape committed by cousin brothers and fathers…this is what our ancestors have told us,” he explained. He also tried to support his ‘analysis’ by stating, “Meddling in the rules of Ishwar and Allah results in a disbalance in the society.”[9]
References
[edit]- ^ TwoCircles.net (14 November 2009). "Samajwadi Party to honour Abu Azmi in Lucknow". TwoCircles.net. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
- ^ "Rajya Sabha members" Rajya Sabha Secretariat, New Delhi Accessed 30 December 2009
- ^ "SHOCKING! Women having sex should be hanged, says Abu Azmi". Mid Day. 11 April 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- ^ "Abu Azmi follows Mulayam Singh's footsteps with 'sexist' remark; says 'Women having premarital sex should be hanged'". dnaindia.com. 11 April 2014. Retrieved 11 July 2014.
- ^ "Deeply embarrassed and ashamed: Ayesha Takia reacts to father-in-law Abu Azmi's rape comment". News18. 11 April 2014. Archived from the original on 19 June 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
- ^ "Abu Azmi's comment on Bengaluru molestation case is not his first sexist rant". Firstpost. 3 January 2017. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ "Women are to blame for Bengaluru molestation incident, says Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi". The Times of India. 3 January 2017. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ "घर में अकेली बेटी, अकेली बहन के साथ मत रहो, शैतान कभी भी सवार हो सकता है: सपा नेता अबू आजमी". www.timesnowhindi.com (in Hindi). 18 December 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
- ^ Scroll Staff (18 December 2021). "'Don't be alone at home with your daughter, the devil may descend on you': SP MLA Abu Azmi on TV". Scroll.in. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
External links
[edit]- Samajwadi Party politicians from Maharashtra
- Rajya Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh
- Living people
- 1955 births
- 21st-century Indian Muslims
- People from Azamgarh district
- Maharashtra MLAs 2014–2019
- People from Mumbai Suburban district
- Maharashtra MLAs 2009–2014
- Maharashtra MLAs 2019–2024
- Maharashtra MLAs 2024–2029