BJP leader Smriti Irani condemned Dr Abdullah's remark saying this was highly inappropriate coming from a senior minister and that too inside the Parliament premises.
Congress leader Ambika Soni said, she has not heard the remark, "but I think he may have made this remark light-heartedly as a joke. He is very much sensitive towards gender justice."
Hours later, Dr Abdullah tendered an apology saying he was sorry if his remark has hurt anybody. "I am against gender injustice, but I apologise if I have hurt anybody's sentiments."
He lashed out at the media, saying he was being targeted. "Sometimes you guys take up Modi, and now me. What have I done, or said? Why are you targeting me?"
In the morning, this is what Farooq said: "These days the situation is such that one is scared of talking to girls. We feel that a lady should not be hired as a secretary. God forbidding, if there is some complaint we may land in jail."
The New and Renewable Energy Minister was responding to queries about sexual assault cases involving important dignitaries.
