JerilynSturgess at 18:21, 16 January 2026

2026-01-16T18:21:18Z

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{{short description|Indian politician}}
{{BLP sources|date=February 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}} {{EngvarB|date = September 2013}}

{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Abu Asim Azmi
| image =
| caption =
| office = Maharashtra State President of <br>[[Samajwadi Party]]
| term_start = 1995
| term_end =
| constituency =
| office1 = [[Maharashtra Legislative Assembly|Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly]]
| term_start1 = 13 October 2009
| term_end1 =
| constituency1 = [[Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar]]
| predecessor1 = ''constituency created''
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1955|8|8|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Azamgarh]], [[Uttar Pradesh]], [[India]]
| residence = [[Bandra]], [[Mumbai]], [[Maharashtra]], India
| death_date =
| death_place =
| constituency2 = [[Uttar Pradesh]]
| order =
| governor =
| office2 = [[Rajya Sabha|Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha]]
| primeminister =
| term_start2 = 2002
| term_end2 = 2008
| predecessor =
| successor =
| party = [[Samajwadi Party]]
| spouse =
| children = Farhan Azmi (son), Bushra Azmi (daughter), Farzeen Azmi (daughter), Shehwar Azmi (daughter), Rushda Azmi (daughter), Shehma Azmi (daughter)
| footnotes =
| website = {{URL|http://www.abuasimazmi.com}}
| profession =
| alma_mater = [[Veer Bahadur Singh Purvanchal University]]
| occupation = Politician, businessman
| president =
| relatives = [[Ayesha Takia]] (daughter-in-law)
| country = India
}}

'''Abu Asim Azmi''' (born 8 August 1955) is a member of the [[Maharashtra Legislative Assembly]]. He represents the [[Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Constituency]], Mumbai. He belongs to the [[Samajwadi Party]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=TwoCircles.net |date=2009-11-14 |title=Samajwadi Party to honour Abu Azmi in Lucknow |url=https://twocircles.net/2009nov13/samajwadi_party_honour_abu_azmi_lucknow.html |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=TwoCircles.net |language=en-US}}</ref>

He is the President of the [[Maharashtra]] state branch of the [[Samajwadi Party]].<ref>[http://164.100.47.5/Newmembers/alphabeticallist_all_terms.aspx "Rajya Sabha members"] Rajya Sabha Secretariat, New Delhi Accessed 30 December 2009</ref> He currently represents [[Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar]] of [[Mumbai Suburban District]] in the [[Maharashtra Legislative Assembly]].

==Politics==
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 (1966–2022)|Shiv Sena]] from Bhiwandi constituency. From 2002 to 2008, Azmi was the [[Member of parliament, Rajya Sabha|Member of Parliament]] (MP) for [[Rajya Sabha]].

In the 2009 [[Mumbai North West (Lok Sabha constituency)|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 (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar]] and [[Bhiwandi East (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|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|date=June 2019}}

Azmi has secured three consecutive wins in his [[Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar Constituency]] from 2009 to 2024.

==Members of Legislative Assembly==

'''Key'''

{{Party index link|Samajwadi Party}}

{| class="wikitable" text-align="center"
|-
!Election!!Assembly Constituency!!Member!!colspan="2"| Party
|-
| [[2009 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2009]]
| rowspan=4|[[Mankhurd Shivaji Nagar (Vidhan Sabha constituency)|Mankhurd-Shivaji Nagar]]
| rowspan=4| [[Abu Asim Azmi|Abu Azmi]]
|style="background-color: {{party color|Samajwadi Party}}" rowspan=4 |
| rowspan=4| [[Samajwadi Party]]
|-
| [[2014 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2014]]
|-
| [[2019 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2019]]
|-
| [[2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly election|2024]]
|}

==Controversies and Criticism==
===Clash with MNS===
On 9 November 2009, Azmi was denounced and prevented by several [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLA]]s of the [[Maharashtra Navnirman Sena|MNS]] from taking his oath in [[Hindi]] and not in state official language [[Marathi language|Marathi]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/india/Azmi-attacked-over-Hindi-oath-four-MNS-members-suspended/Article1-474547.aspx |title=Azmi attacked over Hindi oath, four MNS members suspended |date=9 November 2009 |newspaper=The Hindustan Times |access-date=9 November 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091112134108/http://www.hindustantimes.com/News-Feed/india/Azmi-attacked-over-Hindi-oath-four-MNS-members-suspended/Article1-474547.aspx |archive-date=12 November 2009 }}</ref> As a result of this incident, the speaker of the [[Maharashtra]] Legislative Assembly suspended the 4 MNS MLAs involved in the skirmish for a period of four years. The suspension was later revoked in July 2010.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Assembly-revokes-suspension-of-4-MNS-legislators/articleshow/6161001.cms|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110911165101/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-07-13/mumbai/28291228_1_mns-legislators-mns-mlas-abu-asim-azmi|url-status=live|archive-date=11 September 2011|title = Assembly revokes suspension of 4 MNS legislators|date = 13 July 2010|access-date = 3 July 2013|newspaper = [[The Times of India]]}}</ref>

In December 2013, Azmi expressed disappointment after seeing Bollywood megastar [[Amitabh Bachchan]] share dais with [[Raj Thackeray]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.bollywoodlife.com/news-gossip/abu-azmi-it-was-painful-to-see-amitabh-bachchan-sharing-dais-with-raj-thackeray-302226/|title= Abu Azmi: It was painful to see Amitabh Bachchan sharing dais with Raj Thackeray|date= 25 December 2013}}</ref>

===Anti-women views and comments on rape===
Following the trial in the [[Shakti Mills gang rape]] and in the aftermath of the comments made by then SP chief [[Mulayam Singh Yadav]] in April 2014, 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."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.mid-day.com/articles/shocking-women-having-sex-should-be-hanged-says-abu-azmi/15222050 |title=SHOCKING! Women having sex should be hanged, says Abu Azmi |newspaper=Mid Day |date=11 April 2014 |accessdate=11 July 2014}}</ref> Azmi's comments were widely criticized in India.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report-abu-azmi-follows-mulayam-singh-s-footsteps-with-sexist-remark-says-women-having-premarital-sex-should-be-hanged-1977290 |title=Abu Azmi follows Mulayam Singh's footsteps with 'sexist' remark; says 'Women having premarital sex should be hanged' |work=dnaindia.com |date=11 April 2014 |accessdate=11 July 2014}}</ref> His daughter-in-law, actress [[Ayesha Takia]], expressed embarrassment and denounced Azmi for his comment.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.news18.com/news/india/deeply-embarassed-and-ashamed-ayesha-takia-reacts-to-father-in-law-abu-azmis-rape-comment-680472.html |title=Deeply embarrassed and ashamed: Ayesha Takia reacts to father-in-law Abu Azmi's rape comment |website=News18 |date=11 April 2014 |access-date=19 June 2019 |archive-date=19 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619165147/https://www.news18.com/news/india/deeply-embarassed-and-ashamed-ayesha-takia-reacts-to-father-in-law-abu-azmis-rape-comment-680472.html |url-status=live}}</ref> [[Maharashtra Navnirman Sena|MNS]] chief and leader [[Raj Thackeray]] heavily lambasted Azmi and [[Mulayam Singh Yadav]] for their comments and anti-women views while appearing on [[Aap Ki Adalat]].<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YacVATFN9WQ|title= Raj Thackeray in Aap Ki Adalat (Full Episode) - India TV|website= [[YouTube]]|date= 19 April 2014}}</ref> Azmi received a show-cause notice for his comments.

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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-01-03 |title=Abu Azmi's comment on Bengaluru molestation case is not his first sexist rant |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/abu-azmis-comment-on-bengaluru-molestation-case-is-not-his-first-sexist-rant-3185302.html |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Firstpost |language=en-us}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-01-03 |title=Women are to blame for Bengaluru molestation incident, says Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/women-are-to-blame-for-bengaluru-molestation-incident-says-samajwadi-party-leader-abu-azmi/articleshow/56310779.cms |access-date=2024-11-18 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-12-18 |title=घर में अकेली बेटी, अकेली बहन के साथ मत रहो, शैतान कभी भी सवार हो सकता है: सपा नेता अबू आजमी |url=https://www.timesnowhindi.com/india/article/sp-leader-abu-azmi-says-dont-stay-at-home-with-daughter-alone-devil-can-possess-anytime/377863 |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=www.timesnowhindi.com |language=hi}}</ref> 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|s''haitan'' (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.”<ref>{{Cite web |author=Scroll Staff |date=2021-12-18 |title='Don't be alone at home with your daughter, the devil may descend on you': SP MLA Abu Azmi on TV |url=https://scroll.in/video/1013115/dont-be-alone-at-home-with-your-daughter-the-devil-may-descend-on-you-sp-mla-abu-azmi-on-tv |access-date=2024-11-18 |website=Scroll.in |language=en}}</ref>

===Maharashtra assembly suspension===
On 5 March 2025, Azmi was suspended from Maharashtra assembly for his remarks praising Aurangzeb.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/maharashtra-mla-abu-azmi-suspended-from-assembly-over-aurangzeb-remark/articleshow/118727893.cms|title= Maharashtra MLA Abu Azmi suspended from Assembly over Aurangzeb remark|work= The Times of India|date= 5 March 2025}}</ref> A case against Azmi was registered by the Mumbai Police under sections 299, 302, 356 (1), and 356 (2) of the [[Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita]]. He was granted an anticipatory bail by the civil sessions court for his comments.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.livemint.com/news/india/mumbai-sessions-court-grants-anticipatory-bail-to-abu-azmi-in-aurangzeb-remarks-case-11741702203843.html|title= Mumbai Sessions Court grants anticipatory bail to Abu Azmi in Aurangzeb remarks case|date= 11 March 2025}}</ref> SP party head [[Akhilesh Yadav]] questioned the suspension and said, "If some people think that by ‘suspension’ they can silence the truth, then it reflects their childish and negative thinking."<ref name="s781">{{cite web | title=Aurangzeb row: Akhilesh Yadav questions basis of SP MLA Azmi's suspension, says truth can't be silenced | website=Deccan Herald | date=2025-03-05 | url=https://www.deccanherald.com/india/uttar-pradesh/aurangzeb-row-akhilesh-yadav-questions-basis-of-sp-mla-azmis-suspension-says-truth-cant-be-silenced-3433422 | access-date=2025-07-17}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Official website|http://www.abuasimazmi.com/}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Azmi, Abu}}
[[Category:Samajwadi Party politicians from Maharashtra]]
[[Category:Rajya Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:1955 births]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian Muslims]]
[[Category:Politicians from Azamgarh district]]
[[Category:Maharashtra MLAs 2014–2019]]
[[Category:People from Mumbai Suburban district]]
[[Category:Maharashtra MLAs 2009–2014]]
[[Category:Maharashtra MLAs 2019–2024]]
[[Category:Maharashtra MLAs 2024–2029]]

Abu Azmi - Revision history

JerilynSturgess at 18:21, 16 January 2026