'Stinking Ulemas' remark aimed at giving 'tit-for-tat' reply to Azam Khan: Bajpai

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s Uttar Pradesh chief Laxmikant Bajpai on Wednesday said that the motive behind his 'stinking Ulemas' statement was to give a 'tit for tat' response to Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan's undignified remarks, adding that he did not mean it.

"I respect leaders of every faith. There is a saying called tit-for-tat... Azam Khan has been making undignified statements for quite some time now. I had to use such language to silence him, I did not mean it," Bajpai told media personnel.

On Tuesday, Muslim groups took to streets to protest against Bajpai's statement after the BJP leader said, "If Khan finds Yogi stinking, then we find Ulemas stinking."

Bajpai's had come in response to Khan's remark that it is the yogi [in reference to Yogi Adityanath] who stinks, not yoga.

Earlier, Yogi Adityanath had advised Azam Khan to perform Surya Namaskar, saying the yogic practice will stop him from making absurd statements.