Abu Azmi

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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.

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.

Key

  SP

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]

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