Azam Khan booked for 'khaki underwear' comment against Jaya Prada

Police have launched an FIR against Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan for his sexist comments against actor-turned-politician Jaya Prada. Addressing an election rally on Sunday, Azam Khan, in a clear reference to Jaya Prada, had said: “I brought her [Jaya Prada] to Rampur. You are a witness that I did not allow anyone to touch her body. It took you 17 years to identify her real face but I got to know in 17 days that she wears khaki underwear.”

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has also sought an explanation from the SP leader. NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma termed Khan's alleged below-the-belt remarks against the actor as "extremely disgraceful". Azam Khan, however, claimed he made the remarks in the context of a "man". Asserting that he did not name anyone, he told ANI that he would withdraw his candidature if proven guilty. “I am not able to tolerate the language he has used against me,” Jaya Prada told reporters on Monday and urged the people to fight against him by not giving any votes in Khan’s favour in the general election.

Condemning Azam Khan's comments, UP BJP spokesperson Chandra Mohan said: "Extremely disgusting and embarrassing. The level of politics cannot fall any further. This is the real face of Azam Khan and his so-called socialist party, wherein women are put down in this manner." 

Azam Khan is in the fray in Rampur, against Jaya Prada who is contesting on a BJP ticket this time. Once a star candidate of Samajwadi Party, Jaya Prada joined the BJP recently. Jaya Prada has represented Rampur twice, in 2004 and 2009, on Samajwadi Party ticket. Speaking at an election rally, she said she was forced to leave Rampur because of 'threats' from Azam Khan. In a war of words last year, Jaya Prada had likened Khan to Alauddin Khilji, with Khan calling her 'naachne waali.'