Azam Khan sexist remark: Speaker Om Birla to meet all parties, SP leader may face action
New Delhi, July 26 (IBNS): Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has said he will meet all political parties before taking an action against Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Azam Khan who on Thursday stirred a row by making a sexist jibe at the then officiating Speaker Rama Devi.
After all MPs from all political parties urged the Speaker to take exemplary action against Khan, Birla said, "I will take a decision after meeting all political parties. Now I adjourn the House till 2 pm."
Rama Devi along with the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) lawmakers had asked Khan to apologise but he addressed Rama Devi as his "sister".
SP president Akhilesh Yadav, who was sitting next to Khan, defended his colleague and lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) calling the saffron outfit as 'badtameez'.
Speaker Birla, who was presiding at the time, told Akhilesh it was Azam who needed to apologise for using an unparliamentary word.
"It is very easy for all of you to demand 'expunge this, expunge that', but why should the need to expunge arise at all? Once a remark is made, it is already in the public domain. Therefore, we all should speak keeping the dignity of Parliament in mind," said the Speaker.
As Azam rose to speak on the "Triple Talaq" bill, the cries of "shame" became louder. All the SP members in the House then walked out in protest.
The recent controversy takes back to the days during the Lok Sabha Elections 2019 when Khan had made a sexist remark on BJP candidate Jaya Prada.
