lok-sabha-elections

Updated: Apr 16, 2019 07:00 IST

The National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken cognisance of an “offensive and derogatory” comment by Samajwadi Party candidate Azam Khan against BJP’s Rampur candidate Jayaprada and has decided to send a show-cause notice to him.

The veteran SP leader stoked a controversy with an “underwear” jibe against Jaya Prada who is fighting the Lok Sabha polls from Rampur against him.

Addressing a public rally in Rampur on Sunday, Khan allegedly said that people took 17 years to know the reality that he had known in 17 days about the BJP candidate’s ‘khaki underwear’.

The NCW took cognisance of a tweet, which also had a video of Khan’s speech. “Absolutely disgraceful ... we will request election commission to bar him from contesting elections,” tweeted NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma.

Absolutely disgraceful. #AazamKhan is always abusive and disrespectful towards women. @ncw will take Suo Moto and will send a notice to him. Will request #ElectionCommission to bar him from contesting elections. https://t.co/4SdNIUC3dk — rekha sharma (@sharmarekha) April 14, 2019

Rampur goes to polls on April 23 along with a total of 115 constituencies across 15 states in the third phase of the elections.

The BJP too joined in with party’s Rampur in-charge Chandramohan demanding that Election Commission should take cognisance of Khan’s “disgraceful and offensive” comments against Jayaprada who was twice elected MP from Rampur on Samajwadi Party ticket.