"Is it sex when brother and sister, mother and son kisses?"
Former CM Jitan Ram Manjhi defends Azam Khan
Nawada (Bihar), Jul 28: Former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Sunday defended Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan's remarks against BJP MP Rama Devi in Lok Sabha, saying they were not taken in the right spirit.
"When brothers and sisters, mothers and sons meet and plant a kiss by way of affection, the gesture is not seen as having sexual overtones. Azam Khan's words are not being taken in the right spirit," Manjhi told reporters.
The Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) leader said Azam need not resign but should tender an apology to put an end to the matter.
"I therefore hold the opinion that he need not resign but since all parties have objections he should tender an apology and be done with the matter," Manjhi, who was on a tour of Newada, said.
Participating in the debate on the triple talaq bill on Thursday in Lok Sabha, Khan had referred to the intervention of Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi and read out a couplet "... tu idhar-udhar ki baat na kar ..." (do not divert from the topic).
At this, Rama Devi, who was presiding over the proceedings, asked Khan not to "look here and there" and address the Chair.
To this, the SP member made sexist remarks at the Chair, triggering acrimonious scenes.
The remarks were expunged from the records.
Members in Lok Sabha condemned the remarks by Khan against the Bihar MP and demanded exemplary action against him.
Khan was informed on Friday to appear before Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on July 29 and tender an unconditional apology in the House, sources had said.
Rama Devi had said that an apology was not enough and Khan should be suspended from the House for five years.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
