AN FIR has been filed against BJP state president and Union Minister of State Sukanta Majumdar for allegedly making derogatory remarks comparing the Kolkata Police’s law and order situation to sex workers in Sonagachi, a red-light area in the city.

The FIR was registered at Burtolla police station following a complaint lodged by a sex worker at Sonagachi, a police officer said.

The allegation stems from an incident on Friday when Majumdar was detained by the police in Bhabanipur. During an argument, he purportedly said, “You (police) have turned the law into a sex worker in Sonagachi!”

The ruling Trinamool Congress condemned the comment as “indecent and disrespectful,” with State Minister Shashi Panja demanding that Majumdar issue an apology. TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh also criticised Majumdar, saying, “Sukanta made that comment because he doesn’t understand the struggle of sex workers.”

Majumdar, however, defended his words as targeting police performance, not individuals, and accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of stoking the controversy to “divert attention” from her own allies’ “misconduct”. “The women of Sonagachi also have respect. There are principles,” he said.

Majumdar accused CM Banerjee of orchestrating the controversy to hinder him and to deflect attention from (TMC leader) “Anubrata Mondal’s wrongdoings.”

In protest, Sonagachi sex workers and their children plan to demonstrate on Monday. In a statement, the women said, “The sex workers of Sonagachi, along with their children, are scheduled to hold a protest gathering on Monday. Sonagachi is not a symbol of disorder. It is not fair or acceptable for any public leader to speak about us in such a negative way.”