Addressing the House, BJP leader Rama Devi said that Azam Khan has the habit of uttering derogatory words against women and had done on multiple occasions in the past outside the House
New Delhi: Under fire from various quarters, Samajwadi Party (SP) member Azam Khan on Monday (July 29) apologised in Lok Sabha for his sexist remarks against BJP member Rama Devi.
Though Khan had to repeat his apology twice in the House, a visibly peeved Devi said the member has the habit of uttering derogatory words against women.
As soon as the House met for the day, Speaker Om Birla asked Khan, who has come under criticism from members across party lines for his sexist remarks against Devi, to speak and he tendered his apology.
"I have been an MLA for nine times, a minister several times, a Rajya Sabha member too. I was a Parliamentary Affairs Minister too. I know legislative procedures. However, if my words hurt anyone, I at this moment apologise," he said.
As some of his words were not audible, parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi said Khan should repeat the sentence clearly as the House could not comprehend what he said.
SP president and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, who was sitting next to Khan, stood up to say that the Rampur MP had already apologised in the House in proper words and he can vouch for it.
Reacting to this, Devi said Khan has the habit of uttering derogatory words against women and had done on multiple occasions in the past outside the House.
After this, the Speaker asked Khan to tender the apology again. Khan repeated the words and also said that Devi was like his sister.
After the SP member again apologised in the House, Devi said his remarks have left the whole country in pain and that she did not come to the House to hear such things.
When Yadav tried to speak, a visibly peeved Devi asked why he was supporting Khan.
Members of the House slammed Khan's remarks against Devi during a discussion on the triple talaq Bill on Thursday (July 25) as double-meaning, malicious, utterly condemnable and a blot on all legislators.
Devi was officiating when Khan made the objectionable remarks against her sparking an uproar in the House.
The Speaker said members should be careful in uttering words and maintain decorum so that no such incident takes place in the future.
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