Mumbai: Expressing anguish over Lok Sabha MP Azam Khan’s sexist comment on BJP MP Rama Devi, Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said that disrespect women is not part of the Indian culture.
The Rajya Sabha chairman was speaking at the first edition of ‘Democracy Awards’, instituted by the Maharashtra State Election Commission.
“It is not in our culture to disrespect women. Such behaviour would demean our Parliamentary democracy,” Mr Naidu said in Mumbai.
The Samajwadi Party MP had made the ‘sexist’ remarks during a debate on the triple talaq bill on Thursday, when Ms Devi was chairing proceedings in the absence of Speaker Om Birla.
Mr Khan’s remark created a huge uproar in the Parliament, with women MPs demanding action against the Rampur MP.
Mr Naidu said that he was ‘deeply distressed’ with the behaviour of some members of the Rajya Sabha, adding that stalling the Parliament and legislatures amounted to subversion of parliamentary democracy.
“I am deeply distressed by the behaviour of some lawmakers in the last two years. I am pained when members disregard rules and conventions, leading to pandemonium in the House. The members of the Rajya Sabha have a special responsibility to lead by example. If MPs and MLAs disrupt the proceedings, they are rendering a disservice to democracy,” he said.
