Samajwadi Party candidate Azam Khan has landed in trouble for his "underwear" remarks against his rival candidate Jaya Prada with the National Commission for Women (NCW) on Monday issuing a notice to him after strongly condemning the “extremely derogatory” statement and an FIR filed against him.
While Khan said he had not named anybody and he was referring to someone else, Jaya Prada demanded that he be debarred from elections.
After taking notice of news reports, the NCW said the remarks made by him were "offensive, unethical and show disrespect towards the dignity of women”. An FIR is also filed against Khan for his controversial remarks.
"The Commission strongly condemns such irresponsible and disparaging comment on the matter. You are required to provide a satisfactory explanation to the Commission on the matter," NCW Under Secretary Barnali Shome said in the notice.
During the campaign, Khan had said without taking the name of his BJP rival, "People of Rampur, people of Uttar Pradesh and people of India, it took you 17 years to understand her reality. But, I could recognize it in 17 days that she wears khaki underwear."
Reacting to the controversy, Khan was quoted by ANI as saying, "I will not contest the polls if proven guilty...I haven't named or insulted anyone and I know what I should say."
He claimed he was referring to a man who said that he had brought 150 rifles with and if he sees Khan, he would have shot him dead. "My leaders also did a mistake. Now, it has been revealed he has an RSS pant on his body. Short is worn by men," he said.
Jaya Prada said that it was not new for her and one would remember that she was a Samajwadi Party candidate in 2009 when no one supported her after he made comments against me.
"I am a woman and I can't even repeat what he said. I don't know what I did to him that he is saying such a thing. He shouldn't be allowed to contest elections. Because if this man wins, what will happen to democracy? There will be no place for women in society. Where will we go? Should I die, then you'll be satisfied? You think that I will get scared and leave Rampur?" she said.
Senior BJP leader and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tweeted tagging SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, his wife and MP Dimple Yadav and actress-MP Jaya Bachchan, "Mulayam Bhai - You are the patriarch of Samajwadi Party. Draupadi is being ripped off in Rampur before you. Do not make the mistake of silence like Bhishma."
The NCW notice said Khan had made derogatory remarks against women in the past too.
NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma said Khan has always talking "dirty about women and this was the second remark he gave against women politicians." She said she would also be requesting the Election Commission to bar him from contesting elections.
Khan and Jaya Prada, who represented Rampur as Samajwadi Party MP earlier, were at loggerheads during her stay in the party. Khan used to oppose her as Jaya Prada, as she was supported by his arch-rival Amar Singh, who is also now out of the party and is seen to be supporting BJP. (ENDS)