ABVP members burn effigy of Azam Khan over his 'khaki underwear' jibe at Jaya Prada

A group of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members on Wednesday burnt an effigy of Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Azam Khan for his "khaki underwear" jibe at BJP leader Jaya Prada in his election speech earlier this week. Speaking to media, Rajsharan Shahi, the president of ABPV's Goraksh prant said, "Azam Khan has made derogatory remarks against a woman and we have always fought for the respect of women”.

The statement coming from a senior political leader shows reality of his attitude towards women and it cannot be tolerated, the student wing of the BJP said. "Women of this country are very strong and I think they will teach him a lesson in this election," Shahi stated.

Addressing an election campaign on Sunday, Khan made derogatory and sexist remarks against his Rampur opponent and BJP candidate Jaya Prada, saying - "I brought her 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 underpants".

Reacting to his statement, Jaya Prada said, "He shouldn't be allowed to contest the elections because if this man wins, what will happen to democracy? There'll be no place for women in society. Where will we go? Should I die, then you'll be satisfied? You think that I'll get scared and leave Rampur? I won't leave," Jaya Prada said.

The Election Commission (EC) of India, miffed over his "khaki underwear" jibe, had on Monday barred him from campaigning for 72 hours beginning Tuesday morning.  On Tuesday, Khan was served another show cause notice by the poll panel for allegedly making inflammatory remarks at several other places in Uttar Pradesh in the past few days.