SP leader booked for sexist remarks against Jaya Prada

A former SP leader, Jaya Prada, joined the BJP last week and may be fielded as the party's candidate from Rampur constituency.

File PTI image

Sambhal (UP): A case has been lodged against the Samajwadi Party's (SP) district unit president Firoz Khan for allegedly making sexist remarks against actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada. Superintendent of Police Jamuna Prasad said the case was filed at the Hayat Nagar police station on Thursday night and investigation has started. According to media reports, Khan allegedly said that Jaya Prada would "enthral the people of Rampur with her ghungaroos and thumkas". In a video that went viral on social and electronic media, Khan, seemingly referring to Jaya Prada, is heard saying, "Rampur ki shaamein rangeen ho jaayengi ab jab chunavi mahual chalega (Rampur's evenings will turn colourful this election season)." A former SP leader, Jaya Prada, joined the BJP last week and may be fielded as the party's candidate from Rampur constituency. Khan got into damage control mode on Friday and alleged that his remarks had been distorted. "My statement has been presented in a distorted manner. I had no intention to show disrespect to women or laugh at them...she (Jaya Prada) is a celebrity, the entire country has praised her and she has also won many awards," he told PTI. "In fact I had praised her that when she will go for campaigning and people will ask her to recite some dialogues, she will fulfil it...I had praised her as an artiste," the SP leader stressed. Taking note of Khan's comments, the National Commission for Women had issued a notice to him on Thursday and sought an explanation from him. Later, SP president Akhilesh Yadav had issued a statement saying, "No party worker should make indecent comments on women. The SP has always believed in respecting women."