A case was registered, on the 15th of April, against Azam Khan, a leader of the Samajwadi Party (SP,) for making sexist comments against Jaya Prada, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate representing Rampur.
During an election rally held in Uttar Pradesh on the 14th of April, Azam Khan said, “Many allegations were made against me by the current BJP candidate. I had to swear by my dead mother that they are false. I am not a coward. If I said it, I would have accepted it in front of you. I want to ask you, should one stoop so low in politics? This person who has sucked the blood of Rampur for 10 years – I had led that person to Rampur by 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, O people of Rampur, O people of Shahbad, O 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.”
The comment was made in the presence of former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav and other senior party officials.
However, on the 15th of April, Azam Khan clarified, the comment he made wasn’t directed toward Jaya Prada, but was made keeping a particular man in view.
Justifying his comment, Azam Khan said, he is a nine time Member of the Legislative Assembly from Rampur and knows what he should and should not say. He further added, if the allegations made against him are proven, he will withdraw from the elections.
Reacting to the comments made by Azam Khan, Jaya Prada filed a case against the SP leader. The police filed a First Information Report (FIR) against him under Section 509 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC.) Azam Khan was booked under this section for insulting the modesty of a woman.
Post the allegations and the comments made, Azam Khan hasn’t made a public stance about his position in the Party yet.
The first phase of the Uttar Pradesh Lok Sabha elections was held on the 11th of April. This phase saw an increase of 1.95 lakh voters, as compared to the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
Starting on the 11th of April, the Lok Sabha elections will end on the 19th of May.
The results of the Lok Sabha elections are going to be declared on the 23rd of May.
Stay tuned for more updates.
