Jaya Prada is contesting the Lok Sabha election from Rampur against SP's Azam Khan on a BJP ticket.
Senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and former minister Azam Khan on Sunday made a below the belt 'khaki' comment on Jaya Prada, who is contesting the Lok Sabha poll against him on the BJP ticket.
The senior leader's remarks earned him ire of ruling BJP and a notice from the National Commission for Women.
Khan allegedly made the remarks while addressing a poll campaign rally at Rampur, which goes to polls on April 23 along with a total of 115 constituencies across 15 states in the third phase of the elections.
Khan, who is in the fray from Rampur on the SP ticket, made the remarks in the presence of former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav and other senior party leaders, who were present on the dais.
The election for 80 Lok Sabha seats in the state is scheduled to be conducted in all seven phases. Eight seats in the state went to polls in the first phase on April 11. The final phase of voting will take place on May 19. The results will be announced on May 23.
Here is what Azam Khan said and how BJP has reacted to it:
1. Azam Khan's 'khaki underwear' remarks on Jaya Prada
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"I had led the person to Rampur by holding the finger. I familiarised the person with the streets of Rampur. I didn't let anyone touch the person or even use filthy language. You made the person your representative for 10 years. But the difference between us - people of Shahbad, people of Rampur, people of Uttar Pradesh, people of India - is that you took 17 years to recognise the person, and I realised in just 17 days that the underwear the person wears is khaki," said Khan while addressing an election rally in Rampur.
Khaki is identified as the colour of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological mentor of the BJP, as its activists used to wear khaki half-pants and now wear khaki pants.
As a Samajwadi Party leader, Jaya Prada had earlier won the Rampur seat in 2004 and 2009. In 2010, she was expelled from SP on account of alleged anti-party activities.
2. 'Those who make Ali-Bajrang Bali fight, their rule should go'
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"BJP candidate! You told TV channels after performing 'puja' that there is a 'daanav' in Rampur. I have to finish. I did not know what 'daanav' meant. My Hindu friends told me that it means 'rakhshas," said Khan.
"Remember for two people I was expelled from the SP. I did not rebel. I did not complain and I waited. I did not change the boat," he said.
Urging people to stay united, the SP leader said: "Hug Dalits because injustice has been done to them for thousands of years. Think and decide but once you decide, don't go back. Stay united and you will see that the throne from here to Delhi will be yours."
"It is not a question of victory or defeat. It is not even a question of my victory or defeat. The question is if the change will happen in the country or not," he said.
"Let one Azam Khan get sacrificed but (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi's cruel rule must go way. Those who make Ali-Bajrang Bali fight, their rule should go," he said.
3. BJP reacts
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Condemning Azam Khan's comments, UP BJP spokesperson Chandra Mohan tweeted, "Extremely disgusting and embarrassing. The level of politics cannot fall any further. This is the real face of Azam Khan and his so-called socialist party, wherein women are put down in this manner. But Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati should also comment on such disgusting comments being made against Jaya Prada," he said.
#Jayaprada wears a khaki underwear' says #AzamKhan
— Chowkidar Atif Rasheed (@AtifBjp) April 14, 2019
No outrage no protest from feminist
After all she is BJP candidate contesting frm Muslim dominated constituency.
It's high time people stand above all and teach him lesson
This is not democracy but mobocracy.#Rampur
4. NCW takes note
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National Commission for Women Chairperson Rekha Sharma termed Khan's alleged below-the-belt remarks against the actor as "extremely disgraceful" and said the women panel will be sending a show cause notice to him.
Reacting to Khan's remarks, she tweeted that the NCW would also be requesting the Election Commission to bar him from contesting elections.
Sharma reacted after taking cognisance of another tweet by an user, who had also uploaded a video of the SP leader's purported jibe.
"Extremely disgraceful," said Sharma, reacting to Khan's remark. "Aazam Khan is always abusive and disrespectful towards women. The NCW will take suo motu cognisance and will send a notice to him. Will request Election Commission to bar him from contesting elections, tweeted the NCW chairperson.
5. I called him brother but he insulted me: Jaya Prada on Azam Khan
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This came a day after Jaya Prada said she called Azam Khan brother but he insulted her.
Addressing a public rally at Rampur, Prada said, "Azam Khan Sahab, I called you my brother, but you wished ill of me in the name of calling me your sister. Do our brothers look at us as a dancer? That is why I wanted to leave Rampur."
Jaya Prada said that indecent photos of her were circulated in Rampur and she had asked SP patriarch Mulayam Singh for help but no politician tried to save her and that was the reason she had to leave the constituency.
"I told Mulayam Singh Ji that my indecent images are being circulated in Rampur, save me. But no politician tried to save me. That was why I had to leave Rampur," she said.
