People allowing women to wear short clothes disrespect them, says SP leader Abu Azmi

New Delhi/Bengaluru: Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi on Friday stirred a fresh controversy after he said that people allowing women to wear short clothes are the ones who actually disrespect them. “I have never disrespected women, but those who allow women to wear short clothes, disrespect them,” Azmi said, adding that he would be called orthodox for asking women to wear proper clothes. Azmi went on to say that women should be cautious about their security as long as crimes against them do not stop.

“Until and unless these people won’t mend and such incidents keep on happening in the country, till then the girls should be cautious and take care of their own security,” the Samajwadi Party leader said. Azmi also ridiculed live-in relationships terming it as unacceptable in Islam and added that a woman should stay with a man only after marriage. He further defended his earlier offensive statement on the Bengaluru molestation case, saying that his remark was misquoted for the sake of TRP.

“The media has quoted me out of context just for the sake of TRP. They edited the statement while neglecting as to what the person is trying to say,” he said. He also demanded strict action against the accused in Bengaluru molestation case. Azmi also called for stringent laws to deal with cases related to rape and molestation.

“After Delhi’s Nirbhaya gang-rape case, amendments in the law were made, but such cases are still increasing. Women do wear fashionable clothes in Dubai, Saudi Arab, Kuwait and Arab countries, but no one has the audacity to touch them because of the stringent laws there. Such laws should be enforced in our country,” he added. Azmi said that he got support from various people for raising his voice for the Indian culture.

The Samajwadi Party leader had earlier this week said that “exposing” has become new fashion in India. “In this modern era, more a girl exposes the more she will be called fashionable. I believe if my daughter or sister is celebrating 31st night after sunset and she doesn’t have her father or husband with her and is with other men, then she can’t be treated with respect,” Azmi said.