LUCKNOW: BJP president Amit Shah Monday rushed to the aid of his party's Rampur candidate and film actor Jaya Prada against SP leader Azam Khan's 'underwear jibe' against her, saying the remark was an "insult to crores of mothers and sisters."
Shah also asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and BSP supremo Mayawati if they endorse Khan's remarks. "The obnoxious remarks which Aazam Khan made against Jaya Prada is not an insult to her alone, but an insult to crores of mothers and sisters of the country. It's an insult to the women power (matrishakti) of the country," said Shah, in two tweets.
Asking the chiefs of three other key parties in Uttar Pradesh to make their stand clear on the remarks, Shah said, "I would like to ask Samajwadi party (chief Akhilesh Yadav) Bahan Mayawati and Rahul Gandhi if they approve of Khan's remark."
"For insulting the 'matrishakti', the SP, BSP and Aazam Khan must tender an apology," said Shah.
Khan had made an "underwear jibe" allegedly targeting film actor and his BJP contender for the Rampur Lok Sabha seat, Jaya Prada, telling people at a rally there that he came to know only "in 17 days that she wears a 'khaki' underwear".
Without naming the actor, Khan Sunday said in his rally in Kanpur, " you got represented (by her) for 10 years. (aapne das saal apna pratinidhitwa karwaya)".
"People of Rampur, people of Uttar Pradesh and people of India, it took you 17 years to understand her reality. But, I could recognize it in 17 days that she wears a khaki underwear," Khan had said. Rampur goes to poll on April 23 in the third phase of elections along with a total of 115 constituencies in 14 states.