'Anarkali' jibe of Azam's son irks Jaya Prada

Lucknow, April 22 (IANS) As campaigning ended in Rampur on Sunday evening, another salvo was fired at Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Jaya Prada from the Azam Khan camp.Azam Khan's son, Abdullah Azan Khan, in a meeting held in Pan Dareba said: "Ali bhi humare, Bajrangbali bhi humare. Humein Ali bhi chahiye, bajrangbali bhi chahiye lekin Anarkali nahi chahiye." (Ali is ours and so is Bajrangbali. We want Ali and Bajrangbali but we do not want Anarkali).The reference of Anarkali was obviously to Jaya Prada who is known for her dancing skills in films.Jaya Prada has asked the Election Commission to take note of the derogatory jibe without delay.The Azam Khan (SP) - Jaya Prada (BJP) hostility has already acquired legendary proportions and both the leaders do not spare any opportunity to strike at each other.A case has also been registered against Jaya Prada after she told a gathering in Rampur that the way Azam Khan was commenting on her, the "BSP chief can imagine what all he will be looking at with his X-Ray vision if she comes along with him."The Election Commission had earlier cracked down on Azam Khan and barred him from campaigning for 72 hours after his derogatory comments against the actor. The Election Commission had also pulled up Mayawati and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for their controversial speeches. The EC, in its order, said it was convinced that both the leaders "made highly provocative speeches which has the tone and tenor to aggravate existing differences or create mutual hatred between different religious communities".
--IANS amita/in