Many Muslim women say remarks unwarranted, but will vote for him

Rampur (UP): The development card may well trump gender insensitivity in this constituency with many Muslim women saying SP leader Azam Khan's underwear jibe against Jaya Prada is unwarranted but they are likely to vote for him for the work he has done.

Though most Muslim women feel the veteran Samajwadi Party leader should have avoided making the derogatory remark against the actor-politician, the BJP's candidate against him in this Lok Sabha constituency, there are also those who defend him vehemently.

Several women said Khan, a nine-time MLA from the area, did not take any names and it was Jaya Prada who was making an issue out of it. Some also said their vote would go to him because he has made women's safety and security a priority

in Rampur and also because it was imperative to defeat the BJP.

Yasmeen Safdar, a hotel employee, said Khan has put Rampur on the map of important cities in India and worked really hard for the development of this western Uttar Pradesh town, which will vote on April 23 in the third round of the seven-phase polls.

She was critical of the "khaki underwear" remark and said Khan should be careful in his utterances and avoid making personal remarks.

However, she also added, "Me and my family will vote for Azam Khan as he has worked really hard for the development of Rampur and it is because of him that women's security is never an issue here."

Fatima Pervez, another working woman in a private job, refused to believe that Khan had made such a remark against Jaya Prada and said he is a "very good man" even if if he had made an "odd wrong comment". "He has done so much of development in Rampur..., Pervez told PTI. PTI