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These Women MPs Are So Done With Azam Khan's Sexist Comments

This is not the first time the Samajwadi Party leader has made a sexist statement.
Hindustan Times via Getty Images

The uproar over the remarks by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan, who has been known to make sexist remarks, against BJP MP Rama Devi has continued for a second day in the Lok Sabha.

Union ministers, including Nirmala Sitharaman and Smriti Irani, and Opposition members have condemned his remarks and sought an apology.

Aap mujhe itni acchi lagti hain ki mera mann karta hai ki aap ki aankhon mein aankhein dale rahoon (I like you so much that I feel like looking into your eyes all the time),” he had said on Thursday, according to ANI.

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Women lawmakers cutting across party lines demanded that Khan should either apologise or strict action be taken against him.

During the Zero Hour, Union Textiles Minister Smriti Irani said the remarks of Khan in Lok Sabha on Thursday during the debate of Triple Talaq Bill were a “blot” on all legislators, including men.

“This is a blot on all legislators including men. We cannot remain silent spectators to it. We have to speak in one voice that this is unacceptable,” Irani was quoted as saying by PTI.

TMC MP Mimi Chakraborty also said that nobody could stand in the Parliament and tell a woman “look into my eyes and talk”.

“Speaker sir, all women here are expecting something big from you on this,” she added, according to ANI.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, according to ANI, it is very encouraging to see everyone stand up and speak in once voice condemning what happened yesterday.

“We look towards you (Lok Sabha Speaker) for an exemplary action against him.” Speaker Om Birla has said he will call a meeting of all party leaders and take a decision.

Rama Devi, according to NDTV, also asked Khan to apologise and said that he had no right to stay in Parliament.

Khan claimed he meant no disrespect to the BJP MP and that she was like a “dear sister”. He also said he had spent a long time in politics and if he had used unparliamentary language, he was ready to resign “immediately”.

He had offered to resign when his objectionable remarks against actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada created an uproar during the 2019 Lok Sabha poll campaign.

Khan has a history of making sexist remarks.

- Khan had called Prada a “naachne waali” after after she compared him to Alauddin Khilji from the movie Padmaavat.

- In 2017, Khan had asked Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to reinstate ‘sati pratha’, saying it is part of Hindu culture.

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This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost India, which closed in 2020. Some features are no longer enabled. If you have questions or concerns about this article, please contact indiasupport@huffpost.com.