Akhilesh Yadav said his party's leaders don't use objectionable language for women (File)
After Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan's controversial comment for his rival Jaya Prada--BJP's candidate in Rampur--elicited outrage, party chief Akhilesh Yadav has downplayed the comment, saying it was not meant for the former parliamentarian. He said leaders of his party don't use objectionable language for women.
"Azam Khan had said some people have been wearing RSS clothes, he said this about someone else. We are Samajwadi (socialist) people, we don't use offensive language against women and daughters," Mr Yadav was quoted by news agency ANI as saying.
Mr Khan, Samajwadi Party's Rampur candidate, had said: "For 10 years the person sucked the blood of Rampur, I held that person's finger and brought the person to Rampur. I made her familiar with the streets of Rampur. I didn't let anyone touch her. No dirty words were used. You made the person your representative for 10 years. People of the country, it took you 17 years to understand the person's real face you. I realised in 17 days that the underwear beneath is of the khaki colour."
The members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), BJP's ideological mentor, wear Khaki-coloured uniform.
Reacting to Mr Yadav's comment, Jaya Prada said the time to show women's power had come.
"Akhilesh Yadav is not accepting Azam Khan's mistake, but he is saying the language will not be changed. If such people come to power in Rampur, women would have a hard time in even stepping out of their homes. Sisters, the time has come to show women's power," she tweeted.
The BJP has sought an apology for the comment.
"The repugnant comments by Azam Khan against Jaya Prada ji are not an insult of just Jaya ji but of crores of India's mothers and daughters. The Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Azam Khan should immediately apologise to the crorer of women," BJP chief Amit Shah said at an election meeting.
Azam Khan, an influential leader in Rampur, said he didn't insult anybody.
"I will not contest the polls if proven guilty...I haven't named or insulted anyone and I know what I should say," Azam Khan told news agency ANI on the crude remarks.
Jaya Prada, as a member of the Samajwadi Party, had won parliamentary election in Rampur twice. She was, however, dismissed from the party in 2010 on the allegation of anti-party activities.
After joining the BJP last month, Jaya Prada said she was driven out of Rampur because of abuses, indecent photos of her and even an acid attack attempt, at the behest of Azam Khan.
Reacting to Mr Khan's comment, she today said he should not be allowed to contest elections for the sake of democracy and for women.
"You think I'll get scared and leave Rampur? But I won't leave," Jaya Prada, 57, said.
With inputs from ANI