Azam Khan's comment on BJP MP Rama Devi creates uproar in Lok Sabha

Samajwadi Party MP Azam Khan on Thursday created a controversy in Lok Sabha with his remarks on BJP MP Rama Devi who was filling in for Speaker Om Birla. 

Addressing the chair, Khan said to Rama Devi, "Aap mujhe itni acchi lagti hain ki mera mann karta hai ki aap ki aankhon mein aankhein dale rahoon."

He was speaking during a debate on triple talaq bill on Thursday when he made the remarks. When his remarks angered the BJP members and ministers who sought an apology from the Rampur MP, he said that she was like his sister. 

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav came to Khan's defence and said, "I don't think Azam Khan ji meant any disrespect to the chair(Rama Devi). These( BJP MPs) people are so rude, who are they to raise fingers?"

Rama Devi, a three-time Lok Sabha MP from Bihar's Sheohar, ordered to expunge the remarks from the Parliamentary records. 

"This is not the way to speak, please expunge these remarks," she said. 

Later, when Birla returned to the chair, he said that all should speak keeping the dignity of the Parliament in mind and asked Khan to tender an apology. 

"It is very easy for all of you to demand 'expunge this expunge that', but why should



the need to expunge arise at all? Once a remark is given, it is already in the public domain. Therefore, we all should speak keeping the dignity of the Parliament in mind," he said.

Azam Khan, however, refused to apologise and said he was ready to tender his resignation if his language was "unparliamentary." Following an uproar by the BJP MPs, he walked out of the Lok Sabha.

This is not the first time Khan is at the centre of a controversy for his remarks on a woman. Often in news for his controversial statements, Khan's comment on his rival candidate from Rampur Lok Sabha seat had incited Election Commission's wrath in April this year. 

"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. 

Khan was barred by the Election Commission from campaigning for 72 hours over his jibe at Jaya Prada.