Words seemed to hurt more than ravenous clients in Sonagachhi as news about former CPI(M) MP Anil Bose’s derogatory comment about sex workers and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee spread on Saturday afternoon.
“It is an unpardonable comment. Surely it has crossed the limit of every boundary of civil society. The sex workers of Sonagachhi have also been humiliated. We are going to call for a meeting to protest against Anil Bose’s comment,” said Mahasweta Mukherjee, the spokesperson of Durbar Mahila Samannay Samiti that works for sex workers in red-light areas, including Sonagachhi.
“Sex workers are cannon fodder for politicians. It has become a practice to pass derogatory comments about sex workers as in the recent past Bratya Basu, the Trinamool Congress candidate from Dum Dum constituency, has also passed a derogatory comment about sex workers,” Mukherjee told Hindustan Times.
Sonagachhi also erupted in protest. “Our work is like any other profession,” said a sex worker. “Since my early childhood, I have been seeing my mother earn money. Before passing any such comment about sex workers, political leaders must know that we have no choice,” said the daughter of a sex worker.
Sonagachhi falls under the Shyampukur assembly constituency and Trinamool candidate Shashi Panja slammed Anil Bose. “I told my voters that the CPI(M) leaders are maligning women. Anil Bose insult Mamata Banerjee and sex workers. The reply should come on Wednesday,” Panja said.
{{/usCountry}}Sonagachhi falls under the Shyampukur assembly constituency and Trinamool candidate Shashi Panja slammed Anil Bose. “I told my voters that the CPI(M) leaders are maligning women. Anil Bose insult Mamata Banerjee and sex workers. The reply should come on Wednesday,” Panja said.
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