Speaker Will Ask Azam Khan To Apologise, Says Parl Affairs Minister

Cutting across party lines, members in Lok Sabha on Friday condemned Samajwadi Party MP Azam Khan's sexist remarks to BJP member Rama Devi and demanded exemplary action against him.

Samajwadi Party MP Azam Khan speaks in the Lok Sabha during the ongoing Budget Session of Parliament, in New Delhi, Thursday, July 25, 2019.

NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla will ask SP MP Azam Khan to apologise on the floor of the House for his sexist remarks against BJP member Rama Devi, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Friday. In a meeting of floor leaders of all parties chaired by the Lok Sabha Speaker, it was decided that Khan should apologise or face action. "The Speaker will ask Azam Khan to apologise over his comments made against Rama Devi without any condition in the House. If he does not do so, the Speaker has been authorised to take action against him," Joshi said. Lok Sabha members on Friday unanimously condemned Samajwadi Party member Azam Khan's objectionable comment against BJP MP Rama Devi and demanded "exemplary" action against him. The Speaker promised to take a decision soon. Participating in a discussion on the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2019 on Thursday, Khan made a remark directed at Rama Devi, who was presiding over the House, drawing objections from the treasury benches. Rama Devi, a member from Bihar's Sheohar, herself objected to the sexist remark and ordered it be expunged from Parliament records. Raising the matter during Zero Hour on Friday, BJP's Sanghmitra Maurya said: "What happened in the House on Thursday was undignified. Azam Khan has to come to the House and apologize." Women and Child Development Minister Smriti Irani said she had never heard such comments in her seven year legislative career. "The issue is not about women. The entire House was insulted. Let us not reduce it to a women problem. This is a blot on all legislators including men," she said. Irani said Parliament had already passed the law against sexual harassment at work place and insisted: "We cannot be mute spectators." She urged the parties to leave aside their political differences and send a unanimous message that "misbehaviour with a woman" would not be tolerated. "If such misbehaviour had happened with a woman outside this House, she would have been helped by the police. By taking strict action against the MP (Azam Khan), this House should send a message outside that the privilege of Parliament cannot be misused." Union Minister Babul Supriyo said that though Khan's remarks were expunged, TV channels had telecast them and the entire country had heard it. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad also demanded that Khan, elected from Uttar Pradesh's Rampur constituency, should apologize for his remarks or be suspended from the House. Several other women members expressed unhappiness over Azam Khan's remarks and asked the Speaker to take strict action against him. NCP's Supriya Sule said that the House must speak in one voice and set a precedent once and for all. Actor-turned-politician and first-time MP Nusrat Jahan of TMC also condemned the comment and sought exemplary action against him. Another first-time member, Mimi Chakraborty, said: "Speaker Sir, all women here are expecting something big from you on this." Responding, Speaker Om Birla said he will hold a meeting with leaders of all parties from both the treasury and opposition benches and then take a decision. BJD member Bhartruhari Mahtab called Khan's remarks "unpardonable" and sought exemplary action against him. The Trinamool Congress, Janata Dal-United, Apna Dal and DMK members too backed the call. Congress member Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said the issue should be referred to the Ethics or Privileges Committee of the House. AIMIM Asaduddin Owaisi said he respected the sentiments of the House but took a dig at the government asking about the fate of a Group of Ministers, which was constituted following a wave of allegations of sexual harassment against women in the "Me Too" movement, including against the then Union minister and BJP leader M J Akbar. Participating in the debate on the triple talaq bill, Khan had Thursday referred to the intervention of Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and read out a couplet "... tu idhar-udhar ki baat na kar ..." (do not divert from the topic). At this, Rama Devi, who was presiding over the proceedings, asked Khan not to "look here and there" and address the Chair. To this, the SP member made sexist remarks at the Chair, triggering acrimonious scenes. The remarks were expunged from the records. (With inputs from IANS)