BJP targeted Azam Khan over his 'derogatory remarks' against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Uttar Pradesh assembly witnessed angry scenes after BJP lawmakers protested alleged "derogatory comments" made by Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"It is an irony that the 'badshah' of the country doesn't keep his mother with him, but goes gifting things to the enemy's mother. He talks of 'beti bachao' but has left his own wife," Mr Khan said in an apparent reference to the Prime Minister.
In 2014, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had gifted his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, with a shawl for his mother after inviting him for his swearing in ceremony. Later, Mr Modi also had a saree sent over to Islamabad as another gift for Mr Sharif's mother.
BJP lawmakers present in the Uttar Pradesh assembly took strong exception to Mr Khan's references and demanded that speaker Mata Prasad Pandey immediately expunge Mr Khan's remarks and censure the Uttar Pradesh minister.
An unfazed Mr Khan told protesting BJP lawmakers that the "entire country wanted to know who were inside the room when 'badshah' was giving birthday wishes to Nawaz Sharif."
Incidentally, the discussion in the assembly was about deteriorating law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh. Earlier during the day the BJP had accused the SP government of not doing enough to curb crime against women.
"If the government's 1090 women helpline was working properly, the Bulandshar rape incident wouldn't have happened in the first place. Earlier when there attacks on police personnel, the houses of the accused were dug up," BJP's Suresh Khanna said. He even demanded Mr Khan's resignation on ground of moral responsibility.
The Samajwadi Party government in Uttar Pradesh accused the BJP of 'wasting time' and 'playing politics' over issues of law and order.
"As a minister when I said that the reality behind five similar incidents should come out, why is a particular party so worried? The CBI probe is underway in the case and the fact will come out. The UP government is also concerned about such incidents," Mr Khan said.