‘Feel like looking into your eyes’: Uproar in Lok Sabha over Azam Khan’s sexist comment

Azam Khan’s comments triggered an uproar in the House with the ministers immediately asking Khan to apologise.

Lok Sabha witnessed high drama when Samajwadi Party MP Mohd Azam Khan made certain sexist remarks about the BJP MP Rama Devi who was presiding over the proceedings. His comments triggered an uproar in the House with the Union ministers Ravi Shankar Prasad and Arjun Ram Meghwal immediately asking Khan to apologise.

Participating in the debate on the triple talaq bill on Thursday, Khan made certain observations on a ruling party member. Rama Devi asked Khan to address the chair and not to look at other members. At this, the SP member made some objectionable remarks on the chair.

“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 always want to keep looking into your eyes),” news agency ANI quoted Azam Khan as saying.

Uproar in Lok Sabha over SP MP Azam Khan's comment on BJP MP Rama Devi(in the chair) , he said 'Aap mujhe itni acchi lagti hain ki mera mann karta hai ki aap ki aankhon mein aankhein dale rahoon'. Ministers ask Khan to apologize. pic.twitter.com/HB5QRCuFiG

— ANI (@ANI) July 25, 2019

The Lok Sabha Chair Rama Devi found Khan’s remark completely unacceptable and she asked for the remarks to be expunged. Khan soon got into the damage control mode and replied, “You are very respected, you are like my sister.”

SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, however, backed Khan and said that he did not mean to disrespect the chair, BJP MP Rama Devi. “These (BJP MPs) people are so rude, who are they to raise fingers?,” Yadav asked.

After uproar over his remark on BJP MP Rama Devi, Khan and Yadav walked out of the House.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla questioned the language in which proceedings had been taking place in the House. Birla asked the MPs to maintain the dignity of the Parliament while speaking. As Speaker Om Birla resumed the Chair, he reprimanded Azam Khan and asked for his 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 public domain. Therefore, we all should speak keeping the dignity of the Parliament in mind,” he told the House.

Earlier in the day, Khan was ordered to demolish the gate of Mohammad Ali Jauhar University built on PWD land within 15 days by the Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) court. The SDM court also imposed a fine of Rs 3.27 crore over the construction of university gate on government land.