Samajwadi Party member Azam Khan on Monday apologised in the Lok Sabha for his sexist remarks against BJP member Rama Devi.

Devi was officiating on Thursday when Khan made the objectionable remarks against her sparking an uproar in the House.

As the Lok Sabha met after the weekend, Speaker Om Birla allowed Khan to speak in the House. “I have been a nine-time MLA, a minister several times, a Rajya Sabha member, too. I was a Parliamentary Affairs Minister also. I know legislative procedures,” he said. “However, if my words hurt anyone, I hereby apologise,” he said.

A some of his words were not audible, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said Khan should repeat the sentence as the House could not comprehend what he said.

Also read:MPs castigate Azam Khan for sexist remarks, demand action

Akhilesh pitches in

With this, SP President and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, who was sitting next to Khan, stood up to say that the Rampur MP had already apologised in the House in proper words and he can vouch for it.

Devi said Khan has the habit of uttering derogatory words against women and had done so on many occasions in the past outside the House. Now he has said them inside the House, she said.

After this, the Speaker asked Khan to tender the apology again.

Khan repeated his apology and said Devi was like his sister.

Azam’s remarks to Devi during a discussion on the Triple Talaq Bill were slammed by members as double-meaning, malicious, utterly condemnable and a blot on all legislators.

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