Landlords 'sexual predators': Azam Khan

Two days after tendering an unconditional apology in the Supreme Court for terming the Bulandshahar gang-rape a ‘political conspiracy’ against the Samajwadi Party (SP) government in the state, senior Uttar Pradesh minister Azam Khan has once again put his foot in his mouth.

This time, Khan suggested that landlords were “sexual predators”, and said women need to be “protected” from their “prying eyes”.

Khan’s remarks came while addressing a function here on Saturday after handing over allotment letters of houses to the beneficiaries of the state government-sponsored Asra scheme.

“Women who live in rented accommodations have to face the prying eyes of the landlords. That is why the state government has launched a scheme for them.

They will be given one-room houses so that they remain safe,” Khan said at the function.
The minister, who has courted controversies on several occasions, said that many women had “shared” their “experiences” with him in this respect.

“Many women told me that they have to give so many things to the landlords along with the rent,” Khan said, refusing to elaborate.

Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was also present at the function. Meanwhile, with regard to the Bulandshahar incident, Khan claimed his remarks had been twisted by the media.